atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information Looking for thoughts on Surge and Spike protection

Lightning is a fickle mistress. When the electrical ground has resistance between the equipment and actual electrical ground, weird anomalies, like yours, happen. The steps you have taken to correct the problem should provide better protection than was previous.

Rcaman

I thought I would give you guys a link to a very good Australian document on lightning protection which whilst it covers our regulations, it also covers many issues common to all countries. I would be interested in your opinions.

https://www.titab.com.au/sites/titab.com.au/files/cabling_between_buildings.pdf

I guess someone should have asked if you were in the US. All US commercial power is "ground return neutral" systems. That is, no matter where the lightning strike occurs, the huge earth conduction path will dissipate a lightning strike as long as the lightning strike is not a direct hit. That being said, even direct hits can be managed as is the case in New York City and the Empire State Building which receives direct lightning strikes many times during a year. I think one of the Bell techs I worked with in the 60s in New York told me the Empire State Building is nothing but a huge lightning rod covered with a building. With enough conductive mass, a lightning strike can be managed.

Whilst the article is appropriate to Australian power systems, it is in direct violation of the US NESC standards which require all telecommunication cabling to be bonded and grounded to the same point as the building electrical system.

Rcaman

Yes, I guess I should have included the location. I am in South Central Pennsylvania.

Leave it to the Aussie's to do it different.

Thanks to all for the input. All changes have made and the system is holding together quite well.

Have a good holiday.

Les

LOL....you got me. I thought you were an Aussie trying to get help from US techs.

One has to be careful reading and then trying to incorporate other countries' codes and standards in the US. If it isn't NEC or NESC based, you should avoid it in the US.

Rcaman

That is a first.

You take care Mate!!

Yes us Aussies do things differently (I'm actually an Ex pat Brit but been here for 25 years) But the earth mat in Oz is terrible, very sandy dry soil (if you can actually call it soil). We have similar bonding requirements however I have never once seen the use of an earth loop impedance tester here, yet we were using them for years in the UK before I came here. You must admit though the use of the Thunder days map is quite intriguing.

I am truly impressed with the detail and reasoning behind the code. It works extremely well for the purpose it is intended. Sandy soil is a challenge everywhere. I know in North Carolina around the Outer Banks, there are some very specific requirements for bonding and grounding which are unique to the soil (or lack thereof) and conditions there. The bottom line here is safety. Human, animal and property must be considered when dealing with anything electric and most especially with lightning.

Rcaman