Lightning & Surge Protection Methods

go through websites and manufacturer's cataloques

Dear pnaban,

Pl read the text of the topic that I initiated for discussion. Such an answer in a discussion forum is un-warranted & improfessional.

If you can give me the name/s of specific websites it could be helpful.

God bless

No Sir!

What is unprofessional is to ridicule a person that points out your lazy ass. You could have first tried to do a search of this forum for lightning protection. You could have also done a simple Google search. Then if you wished to discuss a detail or an aspect that you wanted to discuss you could have included that in the forum question. What is very unprofessional is your use of undefined abbreviations and pathetic spelling. If you cannot use the web site's provided spell checker, find another method to check your spelling.

> What is unprofessional is to ridicule a person that points out your lazy ass.

It is not that easy. Most stuff out there is propaganda from companies such as Monster that earn obscene profits by promoting scams. Those who *know* because majority says it is so are easily deceived.

Protection is always about where energy dissipates. The only (and much fewer) sources that define effective protection always discuss where energy dissipates. Ineffective solutions (ie plug-in protectors) claim to make that energy magically disappear. Or somehow absorb hundreds of thousands of joules in a protector rated to absorb hundreds of joules.

For over 100 years, protection was always about energy dissipated harmlessly in earth. To get useful information from the internet means ignoring most of it because it does not discuss protection in numbers – ie where does how much energy dissipate.

Protection is about energy from a current source - not from a voltage source. Voltage increases as necessary so that the constant current will flow. That makes the analysis interesting. And also quckly eliminates many sources that are hyping obscenely profitable products.

Among the many discussions are lightning rods verses another profitable myth - ESE devices. Again, where does energy harmlessly dissipate? How to separate reams of misinformation from the well proven stuff originally defined 100 years ago (and therefore does not get much internet coverage).

Who said it was easy? I certainly know that lightning protection is not easy. When and if the OP brings up any understanding of the complexities and uncertainties about lightning protection I'll be happy, willing and eager to show my knowledge and its limitations on lightning protection.

But I will always defend those who put down lazy questions. I also applaud those that know and indicate that they are asking a lazy question because they don't know the next step. But to put down an honest individual as unprofessional while spelling so poorly is just despicable.

He asked a 'difficult to answer' question. Either provide the anwer or go away. Attacking another for asking questions - especially questions not easily answered by the internet - is unbecoming of you. If you do not like the question, do not post and stay away from this thead.

Either the answer is easy, or he should be asking for additional information here - without your personal attacks.

When you go through other postings you will agree with me.The topic is not a simple matter. About lightning and surge one should study the origin or source,whether protection is required for an installation,if so what level of protection,how to select the type of protection and components required,how to install,side effects,inductive coupling,maintenance,testing,regulations like NFPA or IEC or BS etc

In the 1990's, the Electrical Power Research Institute did some very interesting experiments with induced lightning at a research institute in Florida that can really assist in understanding what is required of lightning protection. Here is a picture of the effects of an induced lightning strike from one of the EPRI documents:

(One would be advised not to attempt this experiment at home). Apparently, there has been similar work accomplished in Japan, but I have not been able to locate English translations of that work. I suggest you begin with a review of the information provided by EPRI. Further, the NFPA (which I believe stands for National Fire Protection Association) publishes a document NFPA 780 which provides some very solid guidlines and helps debunk some of the outrageous claims one encounters on the Internet. These two resources can go a long way to answering any questions one has, although they, in turn, raise more questions.

Essentially, no one has proven they have a better solution that what ol' Ben Franklin came up with over 200 years ago...

Hello,

Check out this site, they have a nice hardbound book explaining lightning and the difference between high voltage AC and DC.

http://www.dehn-usa.com/

Hope this helps. It you need more let me know and I have other info.

From a guy who likes PV and electricity.

I suggest that you do your own research on the sites suggested and others that might be found...

When you think that you have some kind of theory or idea to discuss then it will be interesting for this forum to check and analyse your ideas.

Unless someone has the same interest at this moment, no one will start to theorize for you... needs time and incentive.

I hope to hear from you and others who might have some contribution to "EnLighten " us further.

Thanks

Methods used for lightning...making a lower resistance path for the voltages to equalize / lower...using generally metal conductors.

Surge protection is a different condition generally using MOVs

The theory is the same...low resistance path around or to protect electronic circuits and or buildings from voltages the electronics can handle.

I used to work in telecommunications and as far as I could see none of these methods was totally fallible.