[TowerTalk] more on grounding

[AA4ZZ@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-04-17 18:33:29 EDT, K2JAS@worldnet.att.net (Roger L.
Elowitz) writes:

<< re. lining you foundation walls with cooper flashing......
 At 07:10 PM 4/17/97 +0000, you wrote:
 
 >Try this only if you have tens of thousands of $ that you want to bury in
 hole in the ground,so to speak.
 ><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
 
 Hi Paul,
 
 Your reply wasn't exactly clear.  Are you saying that lining the foundation
 wall with a burried copper flashing is a disaster looking for a place to
 happen?  How so? Would you advise burying the flashing one or more feet from
 the foundation wall or.... skip the whole idea entirely.  Ham homeowners
 have a need to know this. Thanks.
 
 de Roger,K2JAS
 
  >>
My observation is that lightning can do major damage to things that get in
its way.We have probably all seen the hole blown in the ground along side a
tree struck by lightning,this damage does not stop at the top of the soil. A
home's foundation is a very difficult and costly thing to repair.If the
flashing was right up against the wall, the lighting might pass down  the
wall to get to a pipe or through the footing as it went down into the
earth.Often water collects against a foundation wall ;it's called hydrostatic
pressure(that's why some basements leak).This water might make the wall or
the nearby soil a good lightning path.There is some distance that one could
put the flashing away from the foundation to avoid these problems,I am
guessing a couple of feet should be sufficient ( any lightning experts out
there to give an opinion.)
I also suspect that ground rod longer than the foundation is deep tied to the
flashing in the area any feedlines cross it (from the antennas) would be a
good measure.
73 Paul AA4ZZ

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