Lighning Protection for Aviation Warning Lamp
Lighning Protection for Aviation Warning Lamp
(OP)
How to protect Aviation Warning Lamp on top of the telecommunication tower against lightning
When was the last time you drove down the highway without seeing a commercial truck hauling goods?
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Lighning Protection for Aviation Warning Lamp
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RE: Lighning Protection for Aviation Warning Lamp
You probably also need surge protection on the power circuit up to the light.
RE: Lighning Protection for Aviation Warning Lamp
Maybe surge arresters at the top and bottom of the tower? An arrester at the top only would just shunt some of the surge to the supply conductor and cause a problem at the source.
At a minimum, the conduit for the supply conductor should be bonded to the tower at the top and at the bottom.
RE: Lighning Protection for Aviation Warning Lamp
Best of luck on your project.
RE: Lighning Protection for Aviation Warning Lamp
NFPA 780 requires downleads to be bonded to vertical metallic structures upon which they are routed at the top, bottom and at 200ft intervals, to reduce possibility of side-flashes. Do you consider your philosophy of insulating the downlead as contrary to NFPA780?
RE: Lighning Protection for Aviation Warning Lamp
I have never seen a top light take a hit. But bear in mind
that, almost without exception, these towers had at least one
(and often 3) 10' to 20' solid metallic antenna top-mounted.
I seemed to be more important to make the structure a good
conductor from top to bottom (either by bonding every joint
or by running a solid wire from top to bottom, and not
relying on the cable shield bonding, although that did add to
the total path), so the tower itself attracted the streamer.
I suppose that due to the higher impedance of the relatively
small wire to the lamps, the lighting decided that it was
just too much trouble to mess with them. :)
Not to say it could never happen, but I would put it
farther down the list of attractors. I don't think
anyone can predict with certainty exactly where the
strikes will occur, unless there is some obviously
overbearing stable, grounded structure. One or two feet
up/down never seemed to make a difference, regardless.
Nor, surprisingly, did corrosion at the bonding straps
(except at the bottom). Apparently the leg joints made
up good enough, or the bolt mating surfaces stayed clean.
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