[TowerTalk] tower and braid

[Nick Pair]

I think that there is a bit of confusion on your interpretation of my posting.
  Only the last part was pertaining to munitions protection where in the installations I have seen ( not all in general) the braid was made up of small #18 or less conductors braided into a 2 inch wide by 1/2 inch thick unit with ends swagged into a solid bar like structure with bolt holes in it, the whole thing tinned. They could be bolted to large metal shipping boxes (forklift size), or to large clips for temporary static grounding. The shortest were about 18 inches and longest about 3 1/2 to 4 feet. These were used in bunkers where both powder and chemical weapons were in long term storage in Oregon. There is no outdoor storage here and no earlier posting mentioned that they discussing indoor or outdoor. Workers both military and contractor assumed they were lightning but the engineering people claimed static build up was their main job in bunkers. I didn't see how the bunkers were attached to area ground grid but assumed it was due to the ground connection points
 available everywhere in bunker(bunker built before I was born). No peasants are given entry clearance in this neck of the woods.(or desert as the case may be)  That's my experience there.
  The rest of the post was pertaining to use of braid and high current, high voltage applications,  i.e. lightning , outdoors on tower installations whether fixed or fold over.
   
  
Bill Aycock <baycock at hughes.net> wrote:
    
Pardon me, but this is the biggest collection of garbage on this subject 
that I have seen. The braided copper conductors I have seen in explosives 
storage were about 1/2 inch in diameter, and were braided to allow limited 
flexing on installation. The individual wires were at least #12, and more 
likely (from appearance) #10. Also, Army Ordnance, at least, thought they 
were there for lightning grounding and dissipation, not just to calm the 
fears of the peasants. Next time, get some facts before expounding .
Bill-W4BSG

>
> The use of braided strapping to protect ammunition was to prevent a 
> static discharge from detonating the charges not the high current of 
> lightning. In the workers minds they thought it was for lightning but all 
> you can do with lightning is shunt the current, not stop flow.
   
  I.E. a metal container or even the reinforced bunker will not have current flow inside when struck outside but that container can have discharges(sparks) from any sharp edge outside to ground points even if grounded with wire or strap. 
   
   Even if 
> you shunt 99% of current there is enough voltage to arc at even micro 
> amps which is enough to make fireworks out of your munitions. 
  Yes I was a little off base with this part as it would only pertain to bag charges used on large weapons and not in my experience.
   
   
  The only 
> safe place was inside of conductive box with lid closed. (i.e. ammo 
> boxes, metal lined bunkers, etc.)
   
  I left out the word ultimately before safe place above.
   
  Thanks for your input on your experience in this area, 
   
  Nick
  WB7PEK
    
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