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Nigeria - Member - New Member

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Earth Rod Problem

03/25/2012 2:54 PM

I earth all my eletric appliance but there is a thunder strike one day that hit all the appliance and damaged all electrical appiliance,what can i do help me out.

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Sherif
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#1

Re: Earth rod problem

03/25/2012 3:20 PM

Thunder doesn't normally damage electrical devices.

The only way to protect appliances from lightning induced damage is to run them through a UPS/surge suppressor, and not ground them independently.

I don't know how the electrical service is wired in your area. Not much more to add.

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#2

Re: Earth rod problem

03/25/2012 3:57 PM

When you say you" earth all my appliances" exactally what do you mean? Give details.

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#3
In reply to #2

Re: Earth rod problem

03/25/2012 4:46 PM

''Earth all my appiliance''means that all the connections are in line with earth rod through mainbox to suckets

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#5
In reply to #2

Re: Earth rod problem

03/25/2012 4:56 PM

He buried all of his appliances five meters into the soil. Still with fulgerite depth going down to fifteen meters, a direct lightning strike can still do considerable damage to even subterranean appliances.

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#4

Re: Earth rod problem

03/25/2012 4:55 PM

Others will comment, but my advice is to have the lightning arrestor connected to the ground lug of the main power box for your house.

If the ground is from all the appliances to the earth, then a lightning spike will go from the wiring through your appliances, damaging them. You want the spike to bypass your appliances, and go directly to ground by the shortest path.

Usually the main power comes to a 'weatherhead' connection on the house. This is a good location for the lightning arrestor to connect, and go straight to the earth with a minimum of turns.

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#6

Re: Earth rod problem

03/25/2012 6:07 PM

You do not want to earth each appliance independently. When you do,the energy in a lightning strike will dissipate along all paths leading to an appliance and then to ground. The ground should take place at the power panel. The only way you can protect the appliance is with a surge suppressor installed on each circuit, or by unplugging the appliance. Without a surge supressor, sensitive appliances like computers and solid state devices will still get fried. Surge suppressors will detect a voltage peak and disconnect the appliance from the power, without damage. Appliances, like washers, stoves, dryers usually are not affected. Only the solid state components that may be in them will be affected. During a lightning strike, my stove is not affected, but my microwave oven is.

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#7

Re: Earth Rod Problem

03/26/2012 1:44 AM

I had a ground fault show up on a Xantrex inverter, turned out to be dry earth at the Eth stake.Someone had laid concrete in the driveway, and covered the Eth stake in the process. After a year the ground dried out and no earth.

We started by drilling a 20mm hole in the concrete and ran a hose in it for a while to wet the ground (was on the Eastern side of the house where it was VERY dry), until we were able to get back and run a new Earth to a new stake at the south end of the house.


http://www.bulbeckenvirosolutions.com.au/oil-and-chemical-spill-response-equipment/oil-spill-recovery-skimmer-systems.html

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#8

Re: Earth Rod Problem

03/26/2012 3:08 AM

you just need a lightning arrestor on top of your building connected directly to ground...!!!

nothing else...

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#9

Re: Earth Rod Problem

03/26/2012 7:38 AM

Leave the town........

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#10

Re: Earth Rod Problem

03/26/2012 8:33 AM

It sounds more like a lightning induced spike. Earthing and switching off the appliances only offers minimum protection.An effective lightning arrester with dedicated earthing helps, in addition surge suppressors installed appopriately in your installation would give you the additional protection.If its your home surge suppresors and unplugging of appliances during thunder storm would be worth the trouble.

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