Those with lightning storms, how do you protect electronics?

[CobyRupert]

Hoping for a reply, anyone experienced in installing lightning rods on a house. Old house, so amethyst balls are decorative. How long (high) should rods be?

I'm in the process (Thanks for this discussion!) of installing lightning rods on my house. I have a few questions. I'm on top of a hill, old house with two chimneys. I have a 100ft. spool of braided copper on order, so I was going to put copper spike on each chimney (I have antique ones with amethyst ball on them) which I'll use copper straps each chimney, copper braid across to connect both, then down to an 8ft. copper ground rod near the existing power company ground rod which I'll connect together.

Any thoughts or ideas appreciated!

That sounds like a good start.
I don't know of any minimum or maximum height requirements for lightning rods.
Just one down conductor? At least 2 should be provided. Yes, tie the lightning protection system grounds into the electrical systems.

"NFPA 780, Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection Systems" is the' standard.

 

[rekees4300]

The only 100% sure-fire way to protect sensitive anything from lightning is to unplug it from the wall. Anything else is an expensive roll of the dice.

I agree 100% :thumbsup: Lightning laughs at surge protectors. Those are designed to protect from man made surges at the power company.

 

[txdon]

Thanks so much. I'm thinking I can do it myself and save a lot of money. A 100ft spool of 1/2" braided copper is about $53. Copper ground rods about $23 each, I'll use two cut shorter for rods. Maybe I'll cut out two copper devils with pitchforks in the air like they used 100 years ago! ☺☺☺☺☺

I found a devil’s fork lightning rod on my place with a metal detector, it looks evil.

 

[Fuddy1952]

I found a devil’s fork lightning rod on my place with a metal detector, it looks evil.

Could you post a picture, if it's not much trouble.

 

[k0ua]

I agree 100% :thumbsup: Lightning laughs at surge protectors. Those are designed to protect from man made surges at the power company.

I wonder how the 10's of thousands of dollars worth of Transtector (made by polyphaser) surge arresters that solved damage to sensitive telecom equipment at dozens of locations that were previously hit again and again by nearby lightning strikes and once these surge arresters were put on, these events suddenly stopped? How is that possible? Just coincidence? I think not.

I agree, nothing is going to stop a direct hit (including unplugging and setting out in the middle of the floor) BUT nearby strikes that will typically kill unprotected equipment CAN be protected with surge arresters employing fast avalanche silicone diode technology.

But if you would rather believe that these commercial devices are all just BS than that is fine too. But I do know this, Polyphaser would be out of business pretty darn quick if these devices which are in use in every cell tower in the world, and 10's of thousands of other installations didn't work.

I would agree, that many or most "protection strips" you buy as a consumer product will either do nothing or very little.

 

[txdon]

Could you post a picture, if it's not much trouble.

No trouble.

 

[txdon]

I use it on top of my keyhole garden roof for an item of interest.

 

[techman]

One big point being missed here. The purpose of a lightning rod, and similar devices, is not to aid in a direct hit. Rods and wire will be fried by a direct hit. The purpose of a lightning rod is to discharge static charge in a radius of the rod. By doing so it greatly reduces the likelihood of a strike in the surrounding area. During a storm, when lightning is likely to hit there is a voltage gradient (build up from the ground) of a few hundred volts per meter of elevation. The lightning rod discharges, or drains, this static charge build-up making it less likely that a strike will occur in that area. A good example of this protection are high-tension power lines. You will always see two small ground wires on either side, near the top. These are static drain wires and they create a curved field over the power lines with a lower static potential than other areas during a storm. This is why, believe it or not, why high tension power towers and lines are rarely hit by lightning. I live on top of a hill, in front of power towers, and we have never had a strike near the house. The hits are to trees hundreds of feet from the house, despite the fact that the power towers are quite a bit higher and metal. Another example is in Florida where tall light poles have an array of smaller wires in the shape of a fan on top of the lights. These wires, pointing upwards are likewise used to drain static fields to greatly reduce the chance of a strike in the area. A strike can hit a light or power line, but it is rare compared to not having ground drain devices.

paul

 

[Fuddy1952]

Interesting!
A few years ago lightning hit a large oak tree on my place down over the hill maybe 1000ft. from the house. The tree is fine...but there were five dead cows under it, their hooves blown off.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Had a nice storm a little bit ago. I was out on back porch during it.