The Holy Grail in lightning protection is the invention by Ben Franklin of lightning rods. There are companies out
their trying to make or sell "things" or equipment that they claim to be lightning protection. Companies claim to have invented equipment that attracts lightning and pushes it away, or simply deters lightning from
coming near and even equipment that supposedly will tell you if lightning will strike a specific place. Equipment that holds an opposite charge of ions or protons or neurons that will prevent lightning from striking the
area intended to protect. These are simply gimmicks and lies for someone to take advantage of someone gullible or vulnerable and think they have a quick fix to the solution and we can tell you that any of those "quack"
type systems are only a waste of money. Lightning protection of either copper materials or aluminum is the only proven way to stay safe from lightning. Many skyscrapers and famous landmarks have lightning rods for
lightning protection. These buildings get struck by lightning dozens of times per year and they are still standing without damage, which proves that a correctly installed lightning protection system works. Many, many
government buildings require the use of lightning protection systems in their design. The military uses lightning protection in some of their structures. We've sold lightning protection supplies to be installed on
buildings built over in Iran and Iraq by and for our military personnel, ammunition buildings and bunkers. Churches use lightning rods mainly on their tall steeples but nonetheless, they realize they work too. It's not
just the old farmhouses and barns that use or have used lightning rods. They are still very much a part of today's society.
Lightning protection systems generally are installed completely externally on a
building but if a person chooses they can have an internal system installed during construction. The concealed system (internal system) has all the conductor cable and connections within the frame of the building with
connecting rods connecting the internal portion of the system to lightning rods that do get exposed on the outside of the building but the only portion you see on a concealed system is the lightning rods themselves.
Usually just a 10-inch copper or aluminum point (lightning rod). It is just as safe to run all the conductor materials inside a building, as it is to run it externally outside the structure. Many people ask if
that can start a fire because the conductor cable runs within the 2 x 4's or enclosed wood area of the structure. There is no danger of fire starting if lightning strikes the system for one reason. If you are using the
proper Class I or Class II conductor cable and the system is installed properly there will be no heat created by a lightning strike because the strike is instantaneous and there is no resistance in the conductor cable.
With no resistance you have no heat build up therefore no fire hazard.
Many people think that copper cable is copper cable and that any copper cable if "hefty" enough in their mind can be used for
lightning conductor cable. This is not true. You cannot go down to your local building center or hardware store and pick up some thick cable and expect it to work in lightning protection. Proper lightning
conductor cable has to have at least 65,000 circular mils of conductivity. We won't get technical with you on what this all means but proper cable must be stranded with at least 32 strands of wire with each strand being
of at least 17 gauge. Too big of strands or too small of strands won't work properly. Lightning voltage electricity travels on the surface of each strand and needs the proper amount of surface area to travel on and
enough of them. The strands have to be woven or braided in order for the electricity to travel properly on it. It needs breathing space to be able to flow freely and electrically sizzle or dazzle itself the entire path
of the cable. Cable must also not be coated with plastic, rubber, paint, and lacquer. It must remain bare. Saving yourself a hundred dollars on buying inexpensive, improper cable will cost you more in the
long run because you will end up with lightning damage, and if the wrong materials are used and not approved by underwriters laboratories as lightning conductor cable, your insurance company will not pay the claim
and you will suffer a loss much greater that what you saved on buying the wrong materials.
The LPI (lightning protection institute), NFPA (national fire protection association) and UL (underwriters
laboratories) all work together in writing the guidelines, codes and instructions and rules on proper lightning protection equipment, materials, installation. UL must approve all components manufactured for lightning
protection before they are made and sold. All materials must contain the proper amount of copper and alloys or aluminum and alloys and meet strict criteria on thickness and conductivity and weight in order to do their
job effectively. Lightweight materials or junk is not allowed and will not pass inspection and be approved. The highest standards are demanded from UL and the manufacturers of lightning protection equipment. Some
manufacturers just meet the guidelines while other exceed them. You can tell good quality from mediocre if you compare similar items side by side.
