1

LIGHTNIN OTECTION
SYSTEM

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 ,,,LL,L,,GENERAL

1.1. A complete lightning protection installation shall be installed in accordance with BS EN

62305 Part 1 ~ Part 4. The installation shall comprise an air termination system, down
conductors, test points and earth terminations. The installation shall be supplied, installed
and tested by a lightning protection specialist contractor.

1.2. The Contractor shall supply, install, test, commission and certify the full lightning
protection system, (structural and service entry surge protection devices), in accordance
with the BS EN 62305 suite of standards and the layout drawings.

1.3. The materials and components shall comply with the relevant sections of this
specification. Air termination systems shall be installed at the highest point (quantity as
required) of the structure to be protected.

1. STANDARDS

 IEC 62305-1 Part 1: General Principles

 IEC 62305-2 Part 2: Risk Management
 IEC 62305-3 Part 3: Physical Damage to Structure and Life Hazard
 IEC 62305-4 Part 4: Electrical and Electronic Systems within Structures

2. MATERIALS

Materials for lightning protection shall be inherently resistant to corrosion or properly

protected against corrosion. No materials shall be combined which form an electrolytic
coupling that accelerates corrosion, such as copper-aluminum couplings. Copper
commonly required for commercial electrical work, with 98% conductivity when
annealed, is the preferred material for lightning protection.

3. AIR TERMINATION NETWORK

Air termination network shall consist of a network of vertical and horizontal conductors
generally as shown in the Drawings. All salient points of the structure shall be
incorporated in the air termination network. All metallic projections, chimneys, ducts,
gutters, vent pipes, guard rails, aerial masts, etc. on or above the main surface of the roof
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 of the structure whether shown in the Drawings or not shall be bonded to and form part
of the air termination network. Air terminals or vertical finials shall be provided if
specified in the Drawings and/or Bills of Quantities.

In the case of metal cladding roof, the air termination network shall be secured to the
metal roof structures. Intervals between fixings shall not exceed 300mm.

Air terminals or vertical finials shall be of rounded end and made of Copper or
Aluminum as stated in BOQ. Unless specified otherwise in the Drawings and/or Bills of
Quantities, they shall be of 2000mm in length and 16mm diameter with lock nut. The
base for supporting the air terminal or vertical finial on the flat surface or ridges shall be
of gunmetal and purposed made.

If portions of the structure vary considerably in heights, any necessary air termination
network of the lower portions shall, in addition to their own down conductors, be bonded
to the down conductors of the taller portions.

4. DOWN CONDUCTORS

The air termination network shall be 16mm dia hot-galvanized steel conductor. Down conductors will
be the main steel reinforcing bars in the structural column. For more details, please see the drawings.
Down conductors shall be distributed round the outside walls of the building in the positions
indicated on the drawings or where specifically approved by the PM. A down conductor shall
follow the most direct path possible between the air termination and the earth termination.

Down conductors shall be coursed on or in reinforced concrete columns or on structural steel

columns.

Where down conductors are coursed on concrete or steel columns, they shall be fastened to the
structure upon which they are placed, at not exceeding 750mm.

The down conductor shall be run concealed in reinforced concrete columns shall be secured by
metal wire to the reinforcing steel, and terminated at a finial and the test link.

The down conductor tape shall be supplied in continuous unbroken lengths, as far as practicable.
to avoid unnecessary jointing.

A copper test clamp shall be provided for the connection of selected down conductor to the
common earth electrode. The test link shall be located at a height of about 1000mm above
ground, unless otherwise indicated in the drawings or as directed by the PM.

The earthing lead from the test clamp to the earth electrode shall be of copper tap of cross-
sectional dimensions 25mm x 3mm.

The down conductor shall be installed in such a way that its path is as direct as possible
between air termination network and earth termination. It shall be as straight as possible
along the shortest path without sharp bends or upward sections.

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 Unless otherwise as shown in the Drawings and/or Bills of Quantities, the number of
down conductors is one for each 10 meters or part thereof the perimeter at roof level or
ground level, whichever is the greater. Where more than one down conductor is used, the
down conductors shall be arranged evenly and distributed around the outside walls of the
structure.

5. COPPER TAPE

PVC covered copper tape shall be run from the test point to the earth electrodes. The tape
shall be 25mm x 3mm cross section.

6. EARTH TERMINATION

An earth termination shall be connected to each down conductor. Earth termination shall
be by 25mm x 3mm annealed copper tapes connecting the down conductor at the testing
joint to the earth electrodes. The portion of the earth termination between testing joint
and ground shall be enclosed in PVC casing of suitable size.

Each earth termination connected to the down conductor shall have a resistance to earth
not exceeding the 10 Ohms. The whole of the lightning protective system shall have a
combined resistance to earth not exceeding 10 Ohms.

7. EARTH ELECTRODES

Earth electrode shall be of copper-jacketed steel core rods with 16mm diameter and
supplied in 3000mm length and shall have provision for screw coupling with another
standard length. The copper jacket of 99.9 % purity electrolytic copper shall be of
minimum radial thickness 0.25mm and shall be molecularly bonded to the steel core to
ensure that the copper jacket and steel core are not separable. Each earth electrodes shall
be driven 3000mm in depth.

Where the desired earth resistance value cannot be achieved after the first earth electrode
have been driven, sufficient number of earth electrodes in parallel shall be installed
outside the resistance area until required value is reached. Mutual separation between
two earth electrodes shall be more than the driven depth of the earth electrode but less

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 than twice the driven depth. Interconnection between different earth electrodes shall be
by means of 25mm x 3mm annealed copper tape.

8. JOINTS AND BONDS

The lightning protection system should have as few joints as possible. Joints and bonds
shall be made mechanically and electrically effective by means of purpose made copper
clamps or by welding, soldering or brazing. Contact surfaces shall first be cleaned then
inhibited from oxidation with a suitable non-corrosive compound. With overlapping
joints, the length of the overlap shall not be less than 20mm.

All metallic structures located within 1m of down conductors require a bond by means of
copper tape 25mm x 3mm.

9. SERVICE ENTRY LIGHTNING CURRENT SURGE PROTECTION DEVICES

& ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS PROTECTION

The lighting protection installation shall be based strictly on the requirements of BS EN

62305:2006 and shall therefore be dependent on the installation of the required Service
Entry protection to protect against lightning currents entering the structure.

The selected Service Entry SPD’s shall be of the enhanced type and shall be tested and
certified (by way of the recommended 10/350 waveform) to meet the requirements of EN
62305 (IEC/EN 61643).

All of the required SPD’s should be of the “enhanced “ type which shall limit any
lightning or transient over-voltages to the lowest possible “let-through” levels, thereby
providing the best and safest possible protection for these facilities.

Correct and appropriate SPD protection shall be applied to both ends of any cables or
services which link between the buildings.

Surge protection over-voltage SPD’s shall be capable of reducing any lightning or

transient over-voltages to not more than 600 Volts, in all SEVEN MODES, ie. Phase to
Neutral, Phase to Earth and Neutral to Earth.

10. TESTING

Testing shall be carried out in accordance with British Standards, The Electricity at
Works Regulations and to the requirements of 18th Edition, I.E.E. Regulations where

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 applicable. The testing of the air termination system shall be in accordance with
manufacturers’ recommendations

11. TEST AND TEST CERTIFICATES

After the installation work has been completed and before Certificate of Practical
Completion is issued, the whole lightning protection system electrical installation
covered under this part of the Contract shall be tested in accordance with BS EN 62305
and any other tests deem necessary by the Engineer.

The tests to be carried out by the Contractor shall consist of the following tests as a
minimum requirement:

(a) Continuity of air termination network.

(b) Continuity of air termination network and the down conductors.
(c) Continuity of the down conductor and earth termination.
(d) Continuity of earth termination network.
(e) Continuity of earth termination and the main earthing bar for the electrical
installation
(f) Earth electrode resistance.
(g) Earth termination resistance.

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