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Lightning Protection Measures

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Lightning Protection Measures
Misconception & Truth

Misconception & Truth

What is the nature of the lightning damage? (damage, breakdown, malfunction)

  • Did the PC case break or scratched because it the computer was directly hit by a lightning?

    No. Neither the case broke nor was scratched. The inner power parts and the semiconductor on PCB board was damaged.

  • Did the CCTV break after being hit by a lightning?

    No. Never heard or seen a case where CCTV broke after being struck with a lightning. It was the IC cardboard, and IC semiconductors in the camera that broke.

  • Was the radar damaged after being directly hit by a lightning?

    No, the radar at the tower was fine, but the electronic parts of the radar in the building, including transceiver signal equipment, power supply, control card, communication card on control device, etc., were damaged.

  • Did the motor pump catch fire with lightning and thunder at the water treatment plant? Did the pipe break? Did the streetlamp break?

    No, there was not a single incident where the motor pump caught fire, waterpipe broke, or streetlamp broke with lightning and thunder. What broke or had trouble were not the electronic motor that uses 220V and 380V, or metal pipes underground, but the water gauge that controls motor pump, pressure sensor, PLC control card that connects and controls water treatment plants and drain fields, communication card, flowmeter – all electronic communication parts and electromagnetic products.

  • Was the housing of surveillance camera on the highway damaged due to lightning?

    No, there was no case where the surveillance camera housing broke due to lightning. However, the electronic parts inside the camera are frequently damaged.

  • Did the traffic light or traffic sign support break after being struck by lightning?

    No, that has never happened. Only the PCB board in traffic light or electronic display broke down or malfunctioned.

  • Did the tower where communication antenna is installed collapse or break after being struck by lightning?

    No. I’ve been the tower struck by lightning many times, but it never collapsed or broke. Rather, communication devices would break down.

  • Were antennas and feeders at broadcasting relay station or communication base damaged after being struck by lightning?

    No, I’ve never heard of cases where the antenna and feeder got damaged due to lightning and broadcast was interrupted. Rather, the lightning current affected electronic communication devices, damaging the electronic parts or relay station’s function stopped many times.

Did lightning damage occur due to the absence of lightning rod?

  • Was the lightning rod absent in the place where lightning damage occurred?

    No. Lightning rod was installed from the beginning, and there are numerous lightning rods that satisfy both the protective angle method and rolling sphere method.

  • Was the semiconductor in the computer PCB board damaged or break down due to the absence of lightning rod?

    No. there are many lightning rods at the top of the building, but the semiconductor in PCB board and computer power were damaged.

  • Did the electronic communication facility break at the water treatment plant or drain field due to the absence of lightning rod?

    No, there were enough lightning rods installed in places with electronic communication and control devices. But the water gauge, pressure sensor, computer and PLC card in central control unit, communication card, and flowmeter were broken.

  • Did the CCTV break because lightning rod was not installed?

    No, there is one lightning rod per camera. There was no case where damage occurred because camera housing or the exterior was struck by lightning, but the internal electronic parts of the camera were frequently damaged.

  • Isn’t lightning rod installed at the radar communication tower in military bases?

    No, lightning rods are installed in the communication tower where the radar is installed. They are also installed at the rooftop of the situation room building where radar detector-related equipment is, but damages occur frequently whenever lightning hits.

  • Wasn’t lightning rod installed in the tower where communication antenna is installed?

    No. there are multiple lightning rods t the communication tower. The tower does not collapse or break in case of lightning, but the communication equipment in situation room or electronic devices in lightning protection range break down frequently.

  • Is the antenna hit by lightning outside the protective range of the lighting rod a problem?

    No, antenna and communication equipment are located in the protective range of lightning rod, but the internal electronic parts of communication equipment that are connected to the antenna and situation room within the protective range are damaged frequently.

  • Did lightning damage occur because there was no lightning rod in the tower of broadcasting relay stations or communication base?

    No. Lightning rods were installed in the antenna tower of relay station and communication base and within the protection angle, but there were many incidents where electronic parts were damaged, and broadcasting or communication base were suspended.

  • Did lightning damage occur because unconventional lightning rod (ESE, CTS, IPG, DAS, etc.)?

    No, in addition to general lightning rod, unconventional lightning rods were installed, including the ESE and electrostatic scatter type, but lightning damages continued to occur.

In summary

01

Lightning damages are realistic damages such as equipment damage, component damage, malfunction or failure of electronic equipment or facility caused by lightning. They are the electromagnetic damages and losses, not physical damages like broken tower/building, or metal support.

02

Based on above, what we really want to protect from lightning are not the facilities or buildings within the protection range of lightning rod, but the electronic devic3es inside these buildings or not at the position or place of lightning. In other words, being within the protection range of lightning rod can’t prevent lightning damages.

03

Therefore, lightning damages in the 21st century are mostly loss or failure of electromagnetic semiconductor, etc. as opposed to physical damage, and this is the real problem of lightning damage.

04

With the confirmation that most damages are electromagnetic, such damages can be prevented by establishing lightning protection system that can prevent electromagnetic collision of induced lighting and surge.

Did lightning damages (loss, damage, malfunction, failure) occur due to the absence of lightning rod?

05

Out of over 1,000 places that we installed lightning protection facility for 12 years, there was not a single place that suffered lightning damage and did not have lightning rods. Rather, there were multiple lightning rods.

06

Places where unconventional lightning rods were installed suffered more damages than places that installed genera lightning rods.

07

Damages to electronic communication equipment inside the building with lightning rod and satisfying protection angle were clearly not from the direct hit by the lightning.

08

In conclusion, lightning rod does not avoid or prevent lightning damage, but only induces lightning. It was also confirmed that more lightning damages occurred in places with expensive unconventional lightning rods. Also, it was proven through actual cases that the only way to protect communication and information facilities from lightning is not the installation of lightning or protection angle of the lightning rod.