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Lightning Protection Measures

ISSUE & DIAGNOSIS

Why is Korea No. 1 in terms of lightning damage?

There was inconsistency between power supply and grounding method.Lightning rod providing protection against lightning is a scam.Advanced IT products suffer the biggest damage!It only depended on KSC-9609(enacted 1971.10.01) that was abolished after 33 years (2004.12.09).

Independent

Common

Y Connection Electric Supply Method
Country Frequency(Hz) Voltage(VAC) Wiring Neutral line Grounding (regulation) Outlet type
Korea 60 220/380 2,3,4 Yes Independent grounding C & F Type
Korea 60 220/380 2,3,4 Yes Common grounding (since 2022) C & F Type
Australia 50 240/415 2,3,4 Yes Common grounding I Type
USA 60 120/240 2,4 Yes Common grounding A & B Type
Canada 60 120/240 2,3,4 Yes Common grounding A & B Type
Brazil 60 127/220 2,3,4 Yes Common grounding A & B, C Type
France 50 127/220 2,4 Yes Common grounding E Type
Germany 50 230/400 2,4 Yes Common grounding C & F Type
England 50 230/400 2,3,4 Yes Common grounding G Type
Sweden 50 220/380 2,3,4 Yes Common grounding C & F Type
Switzerland 50 220/380 2,3,4 Yes Common grounding J Type
△ Connection Electric Supply Method
△ Connection Electric Supply Method
Country Frequency(Hz) Voltage(VAC) Wiring Neutral line Grounding (regulation) Outlet type
Japan 50 100/200 2,3 No Independent grounding C & F Type
Somalia 50 220 2,3 No Independent grounding C & F Type
North Yemen 50 220 2,3 No Independent grounding I Type
Panama 60 110 2,3 No Independent grounding A & B Type
Peru 60 220 2,3 No Independent grounding A & B, C Type
Uruguay 50 220/380 2,3 No Independent grounding C, F, I & L Type
Norway 50 220/380 2,3 No Independent grounding C & F Type

Inconsistency between power supply and grounding method

Power supply in Korea uses 3-phase 4-wire Y connection method that advanced countries and most countries use, and common grounding was appropriate, but the mistake of choosing independent grounding that is suitable for 3-phase 3-wire delta connection, which is used in Japan and a few other countries (9 countries including Somalia, North Korea, Philippines, etc.), put Korea at No.1 in terms of lightning damage.

Time changes everything, but...

the scam that lightning rod prevents lightning has come to an end.
In particular, ICLP(International conference on lightning protection) is promoting the danger of unconventional lighting rod (ESE, DAS, etc.) aggressively. The following lightning rods do not show differences as seen in the test data by KERI.

*Following data is from the test performed by KERI.

피뢰침 시험 자료01
Specimen CFO[kV]
Normal type A -1, 142
B -1, 139
ESE C -1, 134
D -1, 158
E -1, 145
피뢰침 시험 자료02
Specimen CFO Voltage [kV]
Lightning impulse voltage Switching impulse voltage
Normal type a -629 -552
DAS b -647 -578
c -631 -548
d -640 -546

It’s not a lightning protection rod, but a lighting inducing rod

Lightning rods like Franklin’s lightning rod in 1752 or the finial of Sumanotap Pagoda in 650 were installed to protect people and buildings. It is correct that Franklin or Jajang used lightning rods on objects that they intended to protect. However, it’s been a long time since then.
This is the 21st century, the era of digital electronic communication and information. Most of the lightning damages now are occurring in electronic communication and information facilities that are operated using electricity. There is no incident where an object other than electronic product was damaged by lightning.

Lightning rod, what are you supposed to do?

1.The truth about lightning rod- what is it and what does it do?2.Purpose of lightning rod- What is it going to protect?3.Installation of lightning rod- Why is it being installed?4.Lightning protection- What really needs to be protected from lightning?

Before we begin, leave your past knowledge about lightning rods aside, and decide if the following information is true or not.

* Following data is from the test performed by KERI.

피뢰침 시험 자료01
Specimen CFO[kV]
Normal type A -1, 142
B -1, 139
ESE C -1, 134
D -1, 158
E -1, 145
피뢰침 시험 자료02
Specimen CFO Voltage [kV]
Lightning impulse voltage Switching impulse voltage
Normal type a -629 -552
DAS b -647 -578
c -631 -548
d -640 -546

Was the damage caused by
lightning due to the absence of
lightning rods in those?

We tried to prevent lightning damage using lighting rod, independent grounding, and grounding resistance as per KSC 9609, but suffered the most lightning damages in the world.Digital electronic products like electronic communication devices suffer from lighting damages, not because there is no lightning rod, or the grounding resistance value is high.
Is there any place without lighting rod that suffered lighting damage? Any place without grounding?

IT powerhouse Korea

No. 1 lightning damage in the world

Most of lightning damages are seen in electronic products.

Korea is an IT powerhouse with many equipment and systems using low-voltage semiconductor, so there are relatively more lightning damages than developing countries such as Somalia or North Korea.
Protection of advanced electronic product and facility needs to begin from proper application of the amended KSC-IEC standard.
The only lightning protection technology in Korea was KSC-9609 that was enacted on Oct. 1, 1971. It was the nation’s responsibility of enacting inappropriate technical standard. However, the standard was amended to KSC-IEC in 2005. How, the responsibility is onto the manager, engineer, and technicians. Using the amended KSC-IEC standard properly can reduce lightning damages.

A chestnut tree is struck by a lightning!

A chestnut tree in the front yard of the house owned by the head of the village in Gugye-ri was struck with lightning. But electronic products in many households in Gugye-ri were damaged. It confirmed that chestnut trees can induce lightning, and inducing lightning does not prevent lightning damages, no matter what type of lightning rod there is.
In other words, it was clearly proven that lightning rods alone can’t prevent lightning damage.