Explore how improper or deteriorated grounding systems can nullify even the most advanced lightning protection systems
In the field in electrical security, the attention is usually on surge protectors and lightning rods. What happens when the most important component – the grounded system–fails? In high-risk areas such as Kerala where lightning-related accidents increase each year, an insignificant flaw with the grounding could turn a structure’s lighting protection systems in Kerala to a significant risk. This blog explores the importance of grounding systems and how they can fail and how you can guarantee complete protection.
Grounding is the last location for the enormous electrical energy emitted by lightning strikes. When the lightning circuit is able to intercept the strike and the energy is channeled through the down conductors and finally until it reaches the earth. It is the grounded system typically consists from galvanized steel or copper rods that are buried in the soil it is responsible for dispersing the energy safely to the soil.
If the grounding is insufficient or faulty, a variety of problems can be raised:
Side-flash or Backflash to adjacent conductive parts.
Damage to equipment caused by an insufficient energy discharge.
Risks to fire due to the overheating of contact points.
Potentially dangerous electrical shifts around the perimeter of the building.
Soli resistance mismatch
In Kerala, the diverse soil composition – ranging from sands of the coast to rocky highlands – makes standard grounding plans not reliable with no soil test.
Corrosion in high humidity zones:
The humid climate speeds up corrosion of grounding rods, particularly in the case of galvanized steel with no protection utilized in place of alternatives made with copper.
Poor maintenance:
Many installations are not regularly tested for earth resistance. As time passes, rod degrading and joint loosening or drying of soil can dramatically lower the effectiveness of grounding.
Small Installation
in areas with shallow or rocky soil, rods might not be driven enough to penetrate a low-resistance earth, which results in a the dissipation of a small or ineffective amount.
To ensure the reliability of a security system for lightning for Kerala you should consider these points:
Utilize several earth pits connected with conductors of low resistance.
Select copper-bonded or chemically grounding rods for greater resistance to corrosion.
Use the ISO/IEC Follow IS/IEC 62305 guidelines to determine the layout of earthing, space and the use of materials.
Conduct regular tests of earth resistance (preferably each year before the Monsoon season).
Utilize Ground Enhancement Materials (GEM) to improve the conductivity of soils that are poor.
A number of residential and commercial buildings in Kerala have had partial system failures, not because of faulty spike devices or rods instead, the grounding resistance over the limits of safety. In these cases, harm occurred to the internal electronics as well as security systems and even structural materials such as Rebar, all due to the fact that the discharge didn’t have a safe place to go.
The most sophisticated surge protectors lightning rods and conductor networks are useless if they do not have the proper functioning of a grounded system. Particularly in states with high risk such as Kerala, lightning protection systems should include a robust well-tested, well-maintained, and well-tested earthing infrastructure.
Do not let a concealed grounding defect become a cause to disaster. Make sure you have a solidly grounded system that safeguards not just buildings but also lives.
© 2024 Crivva - Business Promotion. All rights reserved.