Installation performed by DIKOM, our distributor in Bulgaria.
What is grounding, why is it important?
As you know, at Aiditec we work, among other things, on the installation of an external lightning protection system.
But, really, what is this?
Well, as its name suggests, it is a system that is located on the outside of a community of owners, housing or industry of any kind.
The purpose is to ensure an optimum level of protection, offering maximum safety to people, animals and electrical installations when lightning strikes during a storm.
In other words, it is what is commonly known as a lightning rod.
In this sense, Aiditec works with lightning rods with priming device (PDC) to be located at the highest points of the structure.
Here we take into consideration the location of the grounding points and that the route of the down conductors should be as short and straight as possible.
In addition, the aim is to avoid at the same time the proximity of electrical, telephone, data, etc. conduits and their crossing with them.
On the other hand, but not less important, the tip of the lightning rod must be located, at least, 2 meters above any element that is within the area it protects, including antennas, cooling towers, roofs, deposits, etc.
But one of the key elements of these systems is the grounding.
And, the reason for the importance of this section is the peculiarities that it has and that affect the installation of this lightning protection system.
The peculiarities of the ground connections are the following:
- Unless absolutely impossible, the ground connections must be oriented towards the outside of the building.
- One earthing point shall be made for each down conductor.
- It is recommended that vertical stakes of a minimum total length of 6 meters, arranged in a triangle and spaced at least as far apart as their buried length, be connected together with a conductor buried in a trench at least 50 cm deep.
- The resistance value of the earth electrodes should be as low as possible and always lower than 10 Ω. When it is not possible to achieve these values, 160 meters of buried electrode must be installed for protection level I or 100 meters for the rest of the protection levels, provided that the length of each vertical or horizontal element does not exceed 20 meters.
- Each grounding point will have a register box and a disconnecting element.
- Measurements shall always be made in isolation from any other conductive element.
But the most important aspect of this whole process is that the installation of a lightning protection system must always be carried out by specialized technical personnel and in compliance with all the requirements established in the current regulations.
Here you can find more information.
