Notes on General Lightning Protection System Installation
Note: If you need assistance with installation or have any technical questions please contact our office.
- Lightning protection systems must be installed by a competent person(s). They must have a full understanding of the lightning protections standards: LPI-175, NFPA780 and UL96A. These standards must be followed during the design, installation and inspection of a lightning protection system.
- Conductor bend shall not form a sharper angle than 90 degrees or have a radius less than 8 inches.
- Isolated metal bodies that show no conductance to ground shall not require bonding. A grounded metal body within the six foot rule has to be bonded to the system.
- Connections to ground and/or counterpoise must be made at a point not less than 1’-0” below grade, and 2’-0” away from foundation wall.
- Air terminals shall be places at the locations indicated, not more than 2’-0” from the edges of ridges, outside corners, or outside edges of main roofs and must extend a minimum of 10” above object to be protected.
- Midroof air terminals shall be spaced at 50’-0” O.C. Maximum spacing.
- Job conditions may dictate variations in air terminal, conductors, and ground rod locations.
- Conductors shall maintain a horizontal or downward path free from “u” and “v” pockets. Any rise in horizontal conductor shall not exceed 8 inches.
- Conductor may rise upwards at a rate of no more than 3” of rise per 1’-0” run.
- Copper lightning protection materials shall not be placed on aluminum, galvanized steel, galvalume surfaces or any other dissimilar metal surfaces. (painted or not) Nor shall aluminum materials be placed on copper surfaces.
- We have not called out each individual item of lightning protection materials on the roof plan. We have shown typical details and have called out each of these details on the roof plan, only in scattered locations.
- All structural steel, rebar, framing, and miscellaneous steel shall be made electrically continuous through construction. (not the responsibility of the lightning protection contractor)
- Electric, telephone and antenna system grounds shall be connected with main size conductor to one lightning protection ground or metal water pipe.
- A lightning arrestor, protector, or antenna-discharge unit must be installed on each electric and telephone service entrance and radio and television antenna lead (may be provided by KLP, Inc., but must be installed by electrical contractor).
- All adhesive fixtures shall be set with an adhesive compound compatible with the roofing material. Adhesives shall be approved in advance by the roofing contractor.
- Bond all metal pipes such as water, gas, fire, storm, sewer, etc., which enter the structure to the nearest down-lead, ground rod or counterpoise.
- Conductor will be fastened every 3’-0” on center maximum.
- Perimeter and ridge air terminals 10” to 23” shall be spaced up to 20’ maximum.
- Air terminals 24” and over will be spaced 25’ maximum.
- Lightning protection systems shall be installed in a neat, professional manner.
- When anchoring in masonry, holes made to receive the body of the anchor shall be made in the brick, stone, or other masonry unit. (rather than in mortar joints)
- Kuefler Lightning Protection has available (at an additional cost) the 8” Radius Gauge for the correct bend of conductor and the LPI-175, which is the standard of practice for the design, installation and inspection of lightning protection systems.