L I G H T N I N G P R O T E C T I O N S P E C I F I C A T I O N

Protection
of a building
using a
PREVECTRON®
early streamer emission
lightning conductor
 PROTECTION OF A BUILDING
USING A PREVECTRON®
EARLY STREAMER EMISSION (E.S.E.)
LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR
GENERAL AIR TERMINAL

1The lightning protection system should be 1The air terminal should be of the
in full compliance with French lightning PREVECTRON® Early Streamer Emission
protection standard NF C 17-102 (E.S.E.) type, which is equipped with a lower
(Protection of structures and open areas series of energy collecting electrodes and
against lightning using Early Streamer an upper series of spark-generating elec-
Emission air terminals). trodes. The triggering device of the E.S.E.
air terminal is sealed in a stainless-steel
2To ensure an effective system and housing fixed at the center of its central rod.
satisfactory long-term performance,
all fittings need to be mechanically robust 2The air terminal should be fixed at the top
and provide good corrosion resistance of a steel elevation pole so as to be at least
in conditions of 50° C and 95% relative 2 metres above the structure to be protec-
humidity. ted. Its height above roof level would be
dependent on the level of protection and
3All materials used should be suitable the protection radii required.
for lightning protection installations.
3Should an aerial mast be located on the
roof of the building, the E.S.E. air terminal
should be installed at least 2 metres above
its tip. Where this aerial mast is located
within 10 metres of the E.S.E. air terminal
elevation pole, these 2 masts must be inter-
connected at roof level with a solid copper
conductor of the same cross-sectional area
as the down conductor. An aerial mast
diverter should also be installed.

4The elevation pole should be firmly attached

to the wall or roof, or on any protruding part
of the building. Guy wires may be used in
order to ensure the stability of the installation.
In this case, the bottom-end of each guy wire
should be connected to the down conductor.

5If the protection of the building requires

the installation of two or more E.S.E. air
terminals, the base of the elevation poles
should be interconnected at roof level by
a solid copper conductor of the same
cross-sectional area as the down
conductors of the installation.
DOWN CONDUCTOR EARTH TERMINATION SYSTEM

1Each E.S.E. air terminal should be equipped 1Each down conductor should be connected
with at least one down conductor. to its own earth termination system using a
Two conductors should be installed on crow-foot or a triangular earth termination.
opposite sides of the building if the protec- The crow-foot earthing is made of conduc-
ted structure is higher than 28 metres or if tors of the same material and cross-sectio-
the horizontal length of the down conduc- nal area as the down conductor(s) of the
tor is greater than its vertical length. installation arranged in crow-foot fashion
(three 7-to 8- metre long conductors buried
2The down conductor(s) should be high horizontally). A copper-covered steel earth
conductivity round or flat solid bare or rod should be added at the end of each
tinned copper conductor with a minimum copper length. The triangular earthing
size of 50 mm2. They should be fixed system is made of a set of three vertical
to the structure by means of 3 fasteners copper-covered steel earth rods totalling
per metre. a minimum length of 6 metres arranged
as a triangle, each one separated from
3The down conductor(s) should be
the other by a distance equal to at least
connected to the air terminal by means
the driven depth and interconnected by
of a metallic adapter located on the E.S.E.
a conductor identical to that used on
air terminal. It should then run down the
the down conductor(s).
elevation pole and take the shortest direct
route down the outside of the building 2The resistance value of each earth termi-
to the earth termination network, avoiding nation system should be 10 Ohms or less.
any sharp corners, thereby providing a low
impedance path from the air terminal to 3Each earth conductor and rod connection
its earth termination system. should be housed in a proprietary concrete
or P.V.C pit in order to facilitate inspection.
4Any metallic object located less than The pit should be complete with a lid and
1 metre from the down conductor the assembly should be installed flush with
should be connected to this latter ground level.
(for further information regarding bonding
specification, refer to NF C 17-102 - part 3). 4The lightning conductor(s) earth termination
system(s) should then be connected to the
5A test clamp should be installed 2 metres general earth of the site in order to achieve
above ground level so that the down an equipotential earth network.
conductor may be disconnected from This connection should be equipped with a
the earth termination system for regular disconnecting clamp housed in a concrete
checks of the earth termination resistance or P.V.C inspection pit.
value. This test clamp should be housed
within a concrete or P.V.C inspection pit if
the building is covered with metal cladding.
Conforming the international standard
6The base of the down conductor should CEI 61643-11and the French standard
be protected from accidental knocks and NF EN 61643-11, the installation of
other damage by means of a 2 metre a type 1 overvoltage arrester (DGV) is now
stainless-steel protection sheath fixed mandatory for all structure equipped
to the building. with a lightning air terminal.
 Protection of a building
USING A PREVECTRON EARLY STREAMER EMISSION (E.S.E.) LIGHTNING CONDUCTOR
®

1 Prevectron®2 S 6.60 ref: 1243 9 Digital Lightning Flash Counter ref: 8011
2 Elevation pole ref: 2023 10 Test clamp ref: 7001B
3 Clamping collar ref: 6058 11 Protection sheath ref: 7014
4 Side mounting brackets ref: 3013 12 Copper earthing ref: 7021
5 Copper conductor ref: 5001 13 Earth rod ref: 7030
6 Aerial mast diverter ref: 8760 14 Rod-to-conductor clamp ref: 7039
7 Waterproofing holdfast ref: 6031 15 Earth clamp ref: 8004
8 Galvanized steel hook ref: 6002 16 Inspection housing ref: 7052
Lead plug ref: 6005

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This drawing is not to scale.- IVOI’ART - LILLE/FRANCE - +33 (0)328 52 67 54 - Photo : Indelec - DOC 028.VEN01

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The component parts shown on the left are given by way of example only.

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61, chemin des Postes - 59500 DOUAI - France
Tel: +33 327 944 952 - Fax: +33 327 944 955
www.indelec.com - e-mail: [email protected]