The lightning rod is protective device, in which a system of conductors conducts an electrical discharge to the ground. Lightning protection is an essential element of ensuring the safety of residents and property in a building. If you wish and have certain knowledge, it is quite possible to build a lightning rod with your own hands.

Operating principle and device

The lightning protection system consists of three components:

• lightning rod;
• down conductor;
• ground electrode.

The device diagram is shown in the figure below.

The function of receiving a lightning discharge is assigned to the lightning rod. Through the down conductors, electricity flows into the ground loop, which transmits the discharge to the ground.

Lightning rod

There are three types of lightning rods:

• core;
• pin;
• reticulate.

The roof itself can also act as a receiver.

The rod receiver is a metal pin installed on a frame (on the roof, next to a building, on a tall tree). Using a down conductor (conductor), the pin is connected to the ground loop. Copper, aluminum or steel are used to make lightning rods. Moreover, the first is the best option in terms of quality of protection, and the cheapest receivers are made of steel.

The cross-section of a rod-type lightning rod must be at least 35 square meters. mm, if we're talking about about copper, and 70 sq. mm - for steel devices. The length of the pin ranges from 50 to 200 cm.

Rod receivers usually look aesthetically pleasing, but their coverage area is not very large. To calculate the covered area, a mental line is drawn from the highest point of the pin to the ground level at an angle of 45 degrees. The entire space within the triangle along the perimeter is protected. Due to their small coverage area, rod lightning rods are used for protection small houses, bath buildings, garages, etc.

Pay attention! You can either make lightning protection yourself or purchase a ready-made one.

Mesh lightning rods are made in the form of metal meshes and represent a reinforcement frame with cells ranging in size from 3 to 12 m. The thickness of the reinforcement is on average 6 mm. The mesh is placed at a certain height above the roofing material, leaving a gap of at least 15 cm. The most suitable objects for using mesh systems are large roofs ( apartment buildings, shopping centers, industrial and warehouse buildings, etc.).

The cable receiver is located on two or four masts connected to each other with steel or aluminum wire. The cable is pulled along the roof ridge using wooden blocks, which act as supports. The smallest recommended cable diameter is 5 mm.

Compared to rod devices, the described devices cover a much larger area. In terms of efficiency, cable systems are better than rod or mesh receivers at providing lightning protection. Such systems are especially common on slate roofs.

Sometimes the roof itself is used as a lightning rod. This is possible when the roof is made of corrugated sheets, metal tiles and any other materials based on metal. There are requirements that disqualify a structural roofing material if its thickness is less than 4 mm (otherwise it may be burned through by lightning). Also, any flammable materials that can easily ignite are not allowed.

Down conductor

For the manufacture of conductors, six-millimeter copper, steel or aluminum wire is used. Connections to other elements of the system - lightning rod and ground loop - are made using bolts or welds. The down conductor needs high-quality isolation from the environment (cable channels are suitable). Another requirement is to select the shortest path from the lightning rod to the grounding device for the down conductor.

Ground electrode

The grounding loop is located near the building. In this case, choose a place located outside the walking area and closer to any fence. The electric charge supplied to the ground loop through the down conductor is discharged into the ground through metal rods. The rods are dug into the ground to a depth of approximately 80-100 cm. They are placed in such a way that when connected they form a triangle.

Preparatory activities

Before making a lightning rod, it is necessary to carry out preparations. Moreover, in terms of importance, this stage is no different from the actual process of installing the zipper protective system. You will need to make calculations according to the formula, select materials and find the right place to install lightning protection.

Calculation formula

Lightning protection is a rather complex and responsible system due to the tasks it performs. When planning it, it is necessary accurate calculations and assessing potential risks. At the same time, there is no need for overly complex mathematical calculations. You just need to determine the coverage area of ​​the system based on the formulas. For a rod lightning rod, there are coefficients used to calculate the required height of the device. The following formula is used:

It is suitable for lightning rods up to one and a half meters high, which is quite enough to protect a private home from lightning strikes.

Lightning rod material

To create a protective system you will need construction materials. You will have to make a choice from steel, copper or aluminum. At the same time, the area required cross section will differ, which is dictated by the different resistance of each type of the listed metals. To explain this more clearly, below is a table showing minimum requirements to lightning protection components, based on the type of metal:

Material	Lightning rod		Down conductor		Ground electrode
	Sectional area, mm	Diameter, mm	Sectional area, mm	Diameter, mm	Sectional area, mm	Diameter, mm
Copper	35	7	16	5	50	8
Steel	50	8	50	8	100	11,5
Aluminum	70	9,5	25	6	Not applicable

Based on the data presented in the table, optimal choice material - copper. However, the cheapest option for a lightning rod made by yourself is steel.

The current conductor has a smaller cross-section compared to other components of the protective system. It is recommended to gradually increase its thickness from the receiver to the ground loop.

Advice! When creating lightning protection, it is advisable to use the same type of metal for all structural elements.

To manufacture lightning protection, the following materials and tools are required:

1. Lightning rod. In the case of a rod system, you will need a metal pointed pin. A TV mast or antenna for receiving radio signals is also suitable. Ready-made receivers are available for sale, for example, GALMAR or SCHIRTEC.
2. Metal wire of the required section.
3. Grounding devices (metal pins, pipes or tape).
4. Plastic clamps, brackets, bolts.
5. Tools to do the job (welding machine, electric drill, hammer, shovel).

Installation location

The lightning rod should be located at the highest point available on the site. In this case, you need to remember about the protective cone-shaped zone. The lightning rod must be located in such a place that the building is completely covered with protection. It turns out that the more distant the lightning rod is from the house, the higher it should be.

For financial reasons, it is preferable to place the lightning rod on the roof of the building. In this case, there will be no need to build a high support, which, moreover, is unlikely to be aesthetically attractive.

Advice! It is not recommended to install a lightning rod in the central part of the roof. It is better to place the receiver at the edge of the roof and fix it to the wall. This approach reduces the risk of lightning striking any part of the roof.

A separate issue is the correct placement of the grounding device. When lightning strikes, a high-power discharge passes into the ground and at this moment no living creatures should be near the ground electrode. Therefore, requirements have been developed for the minimum distances from grounding to the wall of the house - 1 m and to pedestrian paths - 5 m. The grounding device must be installed in a place where there is no likelihood of people being present. In addition, a fence should be installed around the ground electrode and a warning sign should be placed nearby.

Pay attention! Effective grounding is only possible in moist soil. This must be taken into account when choosing a location for the ground loop. If there is no constantly wet area, you should think about artificial irrigation.

Installation of cable lightning rod

First of all, you need to stretch the wire along the ridge of the roof. It will act as a receiver for lightning. If the roof is made of fire hazardous materials (wood, plastic tiles, etc.), the wire should be placed at a height of at least 15 centimeters from the material. In this case, the supporting function for it will be performed by plastic clamps. The ends of the wire are fixed to metal masts (they are called horizontal receivers).

The current lead is fixed to the receiver using a welding machine bolted connections or rivets. Insulation is applied to adjacent areas. On the roof, the down conductor is secured with brackets, and on the walls - with plastic clips. It is better to place the conductor in cable channel to avoid the harmful effects of humidity.

Grounding is created like this:

1. Dig a trench with a depth of 80 cm.
2. Metal pins are driven into the bottom of the hole.
3. Connect them steel pipe or tape. For this, a welding machine is used.
4. The tape is taken to the area of ​​connection with the down conductor.
5. The down conductor is connected to the grounding conductor.

Installation of a lightning rod

To install the rod system, you will need a high bed. Its functions can be performed, for example, by a TV antenna mast. The receiver is fixed to it with a welded or bolted connection.

Installation of the down conductor and grounding conductor is carried out in the same way as described above when talking about cable lightning protection. After installation is complete, the system resistance should be tested. The maximum permissible value is 10 ohms.

Tree as a lightning rod

To create a lightning rod with your own hands will do ordinary tree. Moreover, its height should exceed the level of the roof of the building by approximately 2.5 times. The distance to the house should not be less than 3 m.

One end of a five-millimeter wire is welded to a grounding device and the connection is buried in the ground. The remaining end will be the receiver. He is brought to the top of the tree.

Structure care

Metal devices are sensitive to negative environmental influences. To avoid the development of corrosion processes and maintain the working properties of metals, it is necessary to regularly inspect the lightning protection system.

With the onset of spring - before the start of the thunderstorm season - it is necessary to conduct a visual examination of all components of the system. During operation, the metal can be so damaged that it is impossible to do without replacing parts.

Particular attention should be paid to contacts. Poor contact leads to system disconnection and fire. If necessary, they are cleaned of oxide.

The underground part of lightning protection also needs to be checked. However, due to the laboriousness of the process, it is allowed to do this not every year, but once every three years.

Lightning protection is such an important element of ensuring the safety of residents and the building that you should only undertake its creation if you have full confidence in your knowledge and experience. If this feeling is not enough, it is better to entrust the work to professionals.

It is important for the owner of a private home to take care of safety during a thunderstorm. The current strength during a lightning strike can exceed 100,000 A, and its entry into a building is dangerous for human life and the safety of property. Installing a lightning rod in a private house makes it possible to divert a powerful electrical discharge into the ground, protecting buildings from destruction and fire. You can do the work yourself - all you need to do is select necessary materials, carry out calculations, arm yourself with a shovel and a welding machine.

The simplest lightning rod circuit

Operating principle

It is not difficult to make a lightning rod in the house with your own hands; its design is extremely simple. The principle of its operation is as follows: a lightning rod located at a height attracts lightning electrical discharges within its radius of action and redirects them to the ground along a down conductor. The radius of action depends on the height of the mast; it is recommended to calculate the structure in such a way that one installation protects all outbuildings on the site from lightning strikes.

There are different options lightning rod devices, but the simplest and most common type is the rod design. Such a lightning rod is mounted on the roof of a building or on a separate mast.

Lightning rod rod structure

Protective system design

Structurally, the lightning rod consists of the following elements:

1. lightning rod (used to intercept lightning discharge);
2. grounding conductor (provides close contact of the system with the ground);
3. down conductor (serves to connect the lightning rod to the grounding conductor, transports lightning discharge).

Lightning rod

When planning to create a protective device for a private or country house, they select a lightning rod with optimal parameters. Typically this function is performed by a metal rod that rises above the tallest building on the site.

Depending on the design features of the protection system, some parts of the house can serve as parts of a lightning rod. We are talking about a metal roof, fences and a metal drainage system.

Steel lightning protection on soft roof

At the same time, it is important that metal roofing was a solid coating without breaks. The minimum permissible thickness of sheet material is determined depending on the type of metal and is 4 mm for iron, 5 mm for copper, 7 mm for aluminum. U roofing There should be no external insulating layer - the exception is anti-corrosion paint for metal.

Parts of the drainage and fencing system are allowed to be used as lightning rods only if the thickness of the metal exceeds the roofing ratings.

The lightning rod is fixed in such a way that it is at least half a meter higher than the highest point in the area around the house, including the tops of trees.

Down conductor

This part of the country lightning rod is made of rolled wire or a strip of uninsulated metal. The recommended cross-section of a steel down conductor is 50 square meters. mm, copper – 16 sq. mm, aluminum – 25 sq. mm.

Down conductor on a metal roof

The down conductor is laid in such a way that it connects the lightning rod and the ground electrode over the shortest distance, ideally in a straight line.

It is allowed to mount the down conductor both outside and inside the wall of the building, but in the second case they must be made of non-combustible material. The minimum gap between the external down conductor and the wall made of flammable building material is 10 cm. When laying, avoid turning the down conductor at an acute angle, otherwise in these areas the risk of fire increases due to the occurrence of a spark discharge.

Ground electrode

The ground electrode is mounted from steel or copper elements, and for steel the cross-sectional area is 80 square meters. mm, and for copper - 50 sq. mm. Grounding a lightning rod requires preparing a trench at least 3 meters long and 0.5 meters deep. At the ends of the trench, a metal rod is driven into the ground, and they are connected to each other by welding a conductor made of the same material.

Trench for closed ground electrode

A branch leading to the house is welded to this structure. A current conductor is connected to the tap. Welding areas must be painted over. The trench for the grounding element of the protective installation is installed no closer than 1 meter from the wall of the house and no closer than 5 meters from the paths and entrance group Houses.

Manufacturing instructions

Before installing a lightning protection system, you need to prepare a project, make calculations and select the necessary materials.

At the design stage they calculate optimal size lightning rod so that the installation completely protects the building area of ​​your site. If we are talking about rod lightning rods capable of protecting private house or a dacha, they provide protective zone in the shape of a cone with an inclination angle of 45-50 degrees.

The height of the lightning rod is calculated using the formula h = (rx+1.63hx)/1.5, while:

• h – the required height of a rod-type lightning rod;
• rx – radius of the protection zone at the height of the top point of the house that needs to be protected;
• hx – height of the protected house.

This scheme is suitable for calculating lightning rods whose height does not exceed 150 m, and this value is more than enough for a private house.

When selecting manufacturing materials, you should pay attention to the recommended cross-sectional areas of the system elements. Values ​​depend on level electrical resistance steel, copper and aluminum. If you focus on technical specifications metals, it is better to choose copper. But steel profile much cheaper.

The cross-section of the down conductor is noticeably smaller than that of other elements; it is recommended to gradually increase its thickness in the direction from the lightning rod to the ground. The most efficient systems are those whose elements are all made of the same metal.

It is necessary to choose the right place to install the lightning rod. The end of the lightning rod should be located above the highest point on the site, and the cone of the protection zone should cover the house and, if possible, other buildings in the yard. The house must completely fall within the protective cone, therefore, the further the lightning rod is mounted from the house, the higher it should be located.

Lightning and thunderstorm protection zone cone

The cheapest and easiest way is to mount the lightning rod on the roof; in this case, installation of a special support of the required height is not required. Do not attach the vertical pin of the lightning rod in the center of the roof. If you place it along one of the walls, the likelihood of lightning striking the roof is reduced.

Consider the location of the ground electrode. During a thunderstorm, people should not be near this device, as powerful electrical discharges will go into the ground. When creating a project, maintain the regulated distances from the walls of the house, its porch and paths. Free access to the area with the ground electrode is blocked by a fence, decorative plantings, garden sculptures. It is recommended to install a warning sign.

Installation of the structure

After the calculations have been made and the materials have been prepared, the installation location has been selected, you can proceed to installation. First of all they perform earthworks, install grounding.

Lightning rods for a dacha or a private house require the installation of a linear or closed ground electrode. In the first case, a trench is dug in which the grounding electrodes are lined up and welded together. The second type of grounding involves immersion in the ground of a triangular structure of three grounding electrodes connected to each other by a metal strip.

The depth of the pit, straight or triangular, should be 0.5-1 meter - the rods are driven into the ground. A deep trench is dug to the place where the down conductor is attached for a connecting lead for the ground loop.

In order for an electric discharge to easily go into the ground, you need soil with good electrical conductive properties. If the soil is sandy, then to improve electrical conductivity, it is watered with an electrolyte - saline solution.

Only moist soil can pass electric current. You can provide for the drainage of the roof drainage to the appropriate area or bury the ground loop at a depth where the soil always remains moist.

Linear ground loop

In order for the ground electrode that you have made to meet the requirements for the protective system for many years, metal with a large margin of cross-sectional area is used for the manufacture of its elements. This is due to the fact that the thickness of steel elements decreases over time due to accelerated corrosion in conductive soil. For the manufacture of the structure, a steel profile is usually used - pipe, strip, corner.

At the next stage of work, a support for the lightning rod is installed in a pre-selected location. The support is firmly fixed so that it can withstand sharp gusts of wind and lightning strikes. A rod lightning rod with a suitable cross-sectional area is attached to the support. In the absence of rolled metal of the required length, this element is welded from several sections.

It is convenient to use a tall tree growing near the house as a support. The lightning rod is attached to the tree using a synthetic halyard in such a way that the entire house falls into the protective cone. If suitable tree no, the lightning rod is connected to the television antenna on the roof, since its mast is made of unpainted metal. If the antenna is mounted on a wooden pole, a wire of a suitable cross-section is attached along it.

Small home protection options

If a hollow metal pipe, its upper end must be closed with a plug made of the same metal and welded.

The current conductor in the form of rolled wire or metal strip is firmly connected to the lightning rod mounted on the support. Check how the pantograph is laid, the lower part of which is welded to the ground loop outlet. A correctly mounted pantograph does not touch anywhere metal elements Houses. Otherwise, the electric discharge of lightning will not go into the grounding loop, but into the metal structure that is in contact with the current collector.

Installation of a down conductor involves welding a metal wire or strip to the horizontal part of the ground loop along its entire length. The ground electrode is driven into the ground at the bottom of the trenches, then the trenches and pits are filled with the excavated soil.

Structure care

Lightning protection mounted from metal should be regularly inspected to identify pockets of corrosion. Every spring, before the start of the thunderstorm season, the contacts of the protective system are checked. If necessary, they are cleaned, since poor contact can cause the system to open and catch fire when hit by a lightning discharge.

Corrosion of metal circuit

At least once every three years, the degree of corrosion of the grounding circuit is checked, for which it is dug up and inspected. Elements that are severely damaged by corrosion must be replaced with new ones. Otherwise, at some point the lightning rod will not be able to cope with its functions.

Competent calculation and correct installation lightning rod will protect your home. All work can be done on your own.

Most owners of private houses, cottages and summer cottages try to create the most comfortable and safe living conditions inside and outside their homes. It is a completely understandable desire, but most often the owners of such real estate completely forget about such a natural phenomenon as a discharge of static atmospheric electricity, which in an instant can cause enormous harm to residential buildings and human health. By its natural essence, atmospheric lightning is a very powerful discharge electrical energy, which, when accurately hit directly into a private home, is capable of destroying not only all household appliances and electrical appliances, but also the building itself as a whole.

If your private property is located next to a tall building, then you should not worry. The lightning rod system of a multi-storey building will provide reliable protection of your home from damaging atmospheric factors electrical discharge. But such an arrangement of cottages, private houses and dachas is practically never found in modern reality. Basically, such real estate objects are built away from tall buildings, so they need to be protected from lightning by equipping modern blocks lightning protection.

Lightning most often discharges to the highest point, but even a huge tree growing next to a house is not able to protect it from the discharge. Only a lightning protection device can completely protect your home from atmospheric discharge. household appliances, as well as the people present in it. In this article we will consider all questions regarding the types of lightning protection and methods of their installation for all types of houses, cottages and cottages. We will also tell you in a concise form how to install a lightning rod with your own hands, but first we will tell you about the damaging factors of lightning.

Damaging factors of atmospheric discharges

The technology for creating protection against thunderstorms is directly related to the damaging factors of atmospheric electrical discharges. Any natural phenomenon affects environment with varying degrees of impact. Lightning is no exception and its damaging factors can be divided into the following two types.

You can protect your property from a secondary damaging factor by simply disconnecting electrical appliances from the power supply for the entire period of time the storm front passes. For effective protection from a direct lightning strike, it is necessary to install lightning protection in a cottage, private house or country house.

Installing a lightning rod and additional protective equipment will avoid negative consequences from the impact of the discharge on your residential property and on the people living in it, regardless of the type of damaging factor. Next we will look at the types and categories of lightning protection.

Categories and types of external lightning protection

Atmospheric lightning is a powerful discharge of electricity that obeys the basic laws of physics. Everyone knows that electric current moves along the path of least resistance. The main task of any type of lightning protection unit is to create just such a path for the passage of electricity, bypassing the structure of the building. When lightning strikes a private house equipped with such a block, all the power electric charge It will simply go into the surface of the earth without causing damage to buildings, electrical appliances and people.

In popular slang, this type of protection of private buildings is called differently: grounding country house, lightning rod system, as well as lightning rods. The last version of the name is completely incorrect, because thunder is the sound of a lightning strike and there is no need to take it anywhere. But the term has long taken root and is used in colloquial speech. Regardless of what the home's lightning protection is called, it is designed to perform one task - discharging the energy of an atmospheric electrical discharge into the ground. Lightning protection blocks are divided into three categories: by method and type of protection, as well as by design features.

Choose better protection The next chapter of the article will help you against a discharge of atmospheric electricity for your home, in which we will talk about the design of the most popular passive external lightning protection, in addition to which it is necessary to install internal protection against a secondary damaging factor.

Design of passive external lightning protection

The design of an external lightning rod in a country house, cottage or private house is quite simple. It consists of three components: a lightning receiver, down conductors and a grounding circuit. Down conductors and grounding conductors have a standard design. In contrast to them, lightning rods passive systems protection can be divided into three types, which we will discuss in detail below.

What type of lightning rod to use is up to you! It is impossible to give any strict recommendations in this regard. All three types of lightning rods are capable of reliably protecting a private home from the primary damaging factor of lightning.

The next elements in the lightning protection system are down conductors. Their main task is to transfer the energy of an atmospheric discharge from the lightning rod to the grounding device. Down conductors can be made from steel wire with a diameter of at least 6 mm, special copper or aluminum cable or steel strip with a width of 30 mm and a thickness of more than 2 mm. Any down conductor is fixed to the ends of lightning rods using threaded connection, welding or soldering. In private houses built from non-combustible materials, this lightning protection element is mounted on the walls in an inconspicuous place using metal fasteners. Down conductors should not be placed close to windows and doors.

Special requirements apply to the installation of lightning protection down conductors wooden house. When lightning hits the lightning protection system in a private home, the down conductor wires can heat up to high temperatures. To prevent fire wooden walls building, it is necessary to correctly install the current-carrying part of the lightning protection system. Down conductors must be located at a distance of at least 10 cm from the walls of the building. For one rod lightning rod, it is necessary to install one current conductor, and for cable and mesh discharge receivers, two current conductor elements. The number of down conductors depends on the number of ends of lightning rods and the area and structure of the roof.

The last element in the system external protection a private house from atmospheric electrical discharges is a grounding device. The simplest ground electrode is two metal rods with a diameter of at least 30 mm, driven into the soil layer 2–3 meters and connected by a jumper made of metal tape. The distance between these grounding elements must be at least 3 meters. The down conductor is connected to this structure exclusively by welding.

We examined the design of external passive lightning protection. It can effectively protect a private home from the primary damaging factor of lightning. To protect a house, cottage or cottage from overvoltage in the network that occurs when exposed to the second damaging factor of a lightning discharge, it is necessary to install additional equipment. These devices provide internal lightning protection.

Internal lightning protection

Household appliances and electrical appliances in a private home should be protected from the effects of a powerful induction field that occurs as a result of an atmospheric discharge. External lightning protection is not able to cope with this task. To protect against lightning surges, it is necessary to use special electrical devices. They are called surge protection devices (SPDs) and are installed in distribution boards at the entrance of electrical lines to a private house. Currently on the market large assortment such devices, with different capabilities and levels of protection against surges.

Only after installing an SPD in the distribution panel and installing external lightning protection can you confidently say that your home is reliably protected from all damaging lightning factors. We examined the design of lightning protection for a private home, both external and internal. The next part of the article will answer the question: how to make a lightning rod in a country house, cottage or private house with your own hands.

Self-installation of lightning protection

Based on the above, we can conclude that the installation of lightning protection can be done with your own hands without the involvement of hired workers. Of course, if you have basic skills installation work. Otherwise, you should invite a specialist. If you nevertheless decide to install a lightning rod with your own hands, then first you should design and calculate lightning protection. This process will not cause difficulties. We will briefly talk about the design of lightning protection and its self-installation using the example of installing a lightning rod with a lightning rod. This is the most popular option for protecting suburban real estate from thunderstorms.

A lightning rod with a lightning rod provides protection in the form of an imaginary cone, with the apex at the end of the lightning rod. To ensure reliable protection of the structure from lightning, the entire object must fall into the inner zone of this cone.

In the above figure we see that part of the house did not fall into the protection zone, so it is necessary to move the lightning rod to the middle of the house or increase its height. The best place To install the lightning rod, use a roof ridge or a chimney. The calculation of the height of the receiver rod is calculated using the following formula.

• Rx is the lower radius of protection of an imaginary cone, which must be measured with a tape measure on the surface of the earth;
• Ha is the height of the active lightning protection zone, which is measured from the ground to the highest point of an imaginary cone;
• Hx is the highest point of a private house, which can be located on the roof ridge, chimney or other structural elements;
• H is the height of the lightning rod.

After calculating the length of the lightning rod, you should determine its location and lay an imaginary route for installing the down conductor from the rod to the installation site of the ground electrode. At this point, the design and calculation of lightning protection is completed and you can proceed directly to the installation of the lightning rod.

Installation of ground electrode

First of all, you should install a grounding loop. To complete the work you will need the following tools and materials:

• grinder with cutting wheels, welding machine, sledgehammer, hammer and shovel;
• 40x40 steel angle for the vertical pins and 40x5 strip for the jumpers.

The ground electrode should be mounted near the wall of the house. We choose a place and dig an equilateral triangular trench 70 cm deep with sides of 1.2 meters. It is also necessary to dig a trench up to the wall of the house to lay the down conductor. In the corners of the triangle we hammer in pieces of steel angle to a depth of 2 meters.

A strip is welded to the ends of the pins. A steel strip is welded to one corner of the circuit and brought out onto the wall of the house, where a down conductor from the lightning rod will be connected to it. The trench is dug and compacted. The ground electrode is ready to connect the down conductor.

Installation of lightning receiver

The best place to attach the lightning rod is a chimney located near the ridge of the roof. The most convenient way to secure the mast is with brackets with clamps at the ends.

An alternative option for fastening the lightning rod is to install it on a special support on the ridge of the house.

On final stage After installation, the down conductor is attached to the lower end of the rod using a clamp with a threaded connection.

Installation of down conductors

A down conductor, a metal wire with a diameter of at least 6 mm, is laid directly along the roof and wall of the house, to the point where the connecting steel strip exits from the ground loop. The entire structure is attached to the roof and walls of the house with plastic or metal clamps with support.

The lower end of the down conductor wire is fixed to the metal grounding strip using a threaded connection.

At this point, the installation of external lightning protection is completed, but if you do not install an internal surge protection unit, then your lightning protection system will be incomplete.

SPD installation

The surge protection device completely de-energizes electrical network at home when a powerful induction field occurs, that is, a secondary damaging factor of lightning. The module is installed in the distribution panel according to the following diagram.

After installing an SPD, your lightning protection for a private home receives a fully finished, functional look. With this system your property and household appliances reliably protected from atmospheric electrical discharges.

Conclusion

High-quality installation of a lightning rod will ensure you a comfortable stay in your home. In this case, protection from all damaging factors of lightning will be provided. But it should be noted that lightning protection must be periodically checked for damage. During a preventive inspection, the main attention should be paid to all connections. Only if the lightning rod is operational will your home be reliably protected from lightning strikes.

Video on the topic

To prevent such consequences during construction work lightning protection circuit is installed. Private houses are classified by SNiP as third class buildings fire safety and are subject to mandatory lightning protection. A lightning rod is planned not when the house is shining with brand new tiles, but at the project development stage. Then he makes a single architectural solution with it.

Type selection

Type of planned lightning protection depends on the original condition of the house and the conditions in which it is located. Lightning typically strikes the highest point of the house or a nearby tree. When struck by lightning, trees, antennas, and poles create a screen effect and neighboring buildings and cars can fall into the affected area.

The second condition for the protection device is soil type, different types which have unequal current conductivity and resistance, which is taken into account when choosing the cross-section of the metal strip and the depth of the contour.

If your house is near a pond or springs, then the risk of electric shock is maximum, especially if climatic conditions the number of thunderstorm periods exceeds 40 hours per year.

Lightning protection device for a private (country) house

Lightning rod principle simple - protecting the house from destruction by diverting an electrical discharge into the ground. Lightning protection is effective only in the case of a comprehensive solution. A complete system includes internal and external protection.

The first protects equipment from power surges during thunderstorms. Even if a lightning strike is several kilometers away, a surge suppressor is required.

Installing a ready-made arrester is not difficult, but if you do not have such protection, use the most reliable method - turn off electrical appliances if the thunderstorm front is within 3 km. The time difference between thunder and lightning should be less than 10 seconds.

External lightning protection ensures the safety of the home and its occupants during a thunderstorm. The device of a simple lightning rod: support, lightning rod, down conductor and ground loop.

Lightning rod- a metal conductor up to 1.5 m long that receives a lightning discharge. Installed on the roof chimney, television antenna - any high place Houses. This method is suitable for metal roofing.

If the roof is made of slate, stretch a metal cable on wooden supports 1-2 m long and protect it with insulators.

For tiled roofs, a lightning protection mesh with down conductors extending from it is stretched along the ridge. The down conductor connects the lightning rod to the ground loop. This steel wire is laid along the wall of the house and welded to the lightning rod and ground loop.

Lightning protection grounding— 2 electrodes connected and driven into the ground. If there is a circuit, it’s already good, but according to the rules, grounding household appliances and lightning protection at home should be general. The protective radius of a lightning rod is determined by the formula R=1, 732 h, where h is the height of the lightning rod.

How does this device work? Electric current always follows the path of least resistance, and lightning is a colossal discharge of electricity with a current of 100,000 A.

And a properly made lightning conductor will represent the least resistance along which the lightning discharge will go into the ground, protecting your home.

This picture shows one of the options for lightning protection for your home.

And this video talks about the nature of lightning and protection from it.

DIY lightning protection of a wooden house

Having figured out the lightning rod device, it is not so difficult to protect your home or dacha yourself. We’ve decided on the type of roof, let’s talk about each method of protection in detail.

Lightning protection mesh- a mesh of metal wire with a diameter of 6 mm, made by welding at the intersection points. It is laid on the roof and connected by several current conductors to the ground loop.

Suitable for non-metal roofs when you need to protect one building because the neighboring buildings are lower in level. Sometimes this mesh is laid on the roof during the construction of the house.

Lightning protection wire- the cable is tensioned on insulators between two metal or wooden supports. They are installed on the ridge at a height of 0.25 m. The wire diameter is at least 6 mm.

A loop is made from this wire around the pipe and attached to the lightning rod. The connection is best made by welding or soldering. The down conductor is also made from the same wire. This creates a hut-shaped protective zone and is suitable for all non-metallic roofs.

Pin lightning rod is a metal pin with a round, square or rectangular cross-section and a length of at least 0.25 m and a cross-sectional area of ​​100 sq. mm. It takes the brunt of the impact and must withstand various thermal and dynamic loads.

It is made of material that cannot be oxidized (copper, galvanized steel), since it cannot be painted. Minimum cross-sectional diameter of the rod or gas pipe- 12 mm. If the pipe is hollow, the end must be welded. Installed on the roof ridge on a mast of the required length.

Down conductor serves to direct the received discharge to the ground. We attach it by welding, soldering or bolting it. The contact area in this case must be no less than twice the cross-sectional area of ​​the parts being connected.

This type of protection is suitable for metal roofs, and the roof itself also needs to be grounded. It creates a kind of protective umbrella. You can attach it with nails, staples, clamps.

And finally protective grounding. The ground electrode conducts the lightning current into the ground and has a small fraction of electrical resistance. Placed at a distance of 5 m from the porch and paths. If the soil is wet and the depth groundwater less than 1.5 m, horizontal grounding conductors are used. His you can do this:

1. Dig a shovel-width ditch along the house, 6 m long and up to 1 m deep.
2. Drive three galvanized water pipes with a diameter of 20 mm and a length of 2 m to the bottom of the ditch every three meters. Leave 5 cm on the surface.
3. Lay a wire with a diameter of at least 8 mm and weld it to the pipes. A down conductor must also be welded to the middle pipe. You can weld bolts to the pipes and connect the pipes with copper cable.
4. Lubricate the bolts with grease and bury the pipes.

If the soil is dry and groundwater are deep, you can build a vertical grounding rod from two rods 2-3 m long, which are driven into the ground to a depth of 0.5 m and a distance of 3 m from each other. They are connected by a jumper with a cross-section of 100 square meters. m

This grounding can also be used to protect electrical appliances and electrical panels in the house. During a thunderstorm, it is dangerous to be near grounding within a radius of 4 m(you can get under step voltage). Lightning protection can also be installed on trees. This is possible if the tree is 2-2.5 times taller than the house along with the antenna and is 3-10 m away from the house. It is made from a piece of wire with a diameter of 5-8 mm, has a one-way descent and one grounding in the form of a loop.

Lightning rods used to protect against linear lightning are ineffective against ball lightning. To prevent such lightning from entering the house during a thunderstorm, windows, doors, and chimneys must be tightly closed, and ventilation units must have a mesh made of copper or steel wire with 3-4 cm cells and reliable grounding.

And finally some tips. For grounding metal roof Storm drains can be used as down conductors. To make it easier to hammer in the pipe, you can first build a scaffold. If the dimensions are unknown, then the protective zone can be determined using a regular right-angled isosceles triangle. Aim along the long side (hypotenuse) of the lightning rod. The short side (leg) is parallel to the ground.

If the aiming point is below the top of the lightning rod, then you are in the protection zone. Do not place down conductors near doors. All metal structures on the roof are also grounded. The state of lightning protection requires maintenance and systematic checking of connections. It is best if they are welding.

You can build two down conductors for reliability. Avoid corrosion; clean it regularly from scale. Every five years, open the grounding electrodes, check and replace if necessary. And your lightning rod will provide you with safe living for many years.

In this video you can look at an approximate installation of lightning protection.

A lightning rod is necessary primarily because the charge accumulated in thunderclouds can cause a lot of damage if it gets into residential buildings.

Why are lightning dangerous? Typically their power is 100,000 A, but sometimes this figure reaches 200,000.

When such a powerful flow of energy hits something, it causes heating, which in turn causes fires.

That is why in houses it is necessary that there is no risk of fire, and that the charge is discharged into the ground.

Lightning rod design

The lightning rod must consist of these elements:

• lightning rod (takes charge, intercepting it);
• down conductor (its function is to direct the received current into the earth cavity);
• ground electrode (allows for connection between the house, the device and the ground).

The lightning rod system must be designed in accordance with the design features of the elements.

It is important that the metal used in the production of the entire system is the same.

DIY lightning rod for lightning rod

The receiver will be a rod made of steel. It should be higher than the highest point of the house. Main features:

• section 50 mm square;
• wire rod should have a diameter of eight mm;
• the rod can be replaced with a copper one, but then the cross-section should be 35 mm.

Even a drainpipe can be a lightning rod, since it consists of metal.

You can also focus on the roof, if they are similarly made of metal.

The installation diagram will look like this:

A lightning rod is installed in a house if the roof is made of aluminum, iron, or copper.

It is important that the material is intact, otherwise the current will not enter the outlet elements.

Also, when installing a lightning rod, the presence of heat-insulating roof material should not be allowed.

In general there should be no coverings. The exception is a thin layer of paint, which is designed to provide an anti-corrosion effect.

To connect all elements of the lightning rod, it is necessary to use solid reinforcement.

If the thickness of the roof material exceeds the specified values:

• for aluminum it is 7 mm;
• for copper 5 mm;
• for iron 4 mm.

Also, if covered thermal insulation material, you need to use a pipe as a lightning rod.

If the roof is divided into several individual elements, they can be connected using reinforcement.

Do-it-yourself current conductor for lightning rod

The current conductor will be the same material that the lightning rod is made of. The following indicators will help you calculate the cross section:

• aluminum - 25 mm square;
• copper - 16 mm square;
• steel - 50 mm square.

Direct installation of lightning protection does not involve a down conductor that leads along long way.

The length should be as short as possible. Also, turns should not be allowed, and, moreover, sharp corners.

In this case, the likelihood increases that a spark will appear at the turn, which will lead to a fire.

The current conductor consists of a metal strip and wire rod. It can be carried out inside a wall if it does not consist of flammable material.

Fastening is carried out with metal brackets in any case. If the walls are highly flammable, the down conductor should be installed no closer than 10 centimeters from them.

If you are doing this at the construction stage, make sure that there is a distance of more than 10 cm between the wires and the down conductor.

Attention: lightning rod elements must not be insulated or painted!

How to make a ground electrode for a lightning rod

Grounding conductors are made from the following materials:

• copper - section 50 mm square;
• steel - section 80 mm square.

How to install a ground electrode?

It’s very easy: you need to create a hole about 1-2 meters deep, insert rods of steel or copper, weld them together, secure them and connect them with fittings.

It is easier to install all elements from steel, since it is considered the most reliable equipment for lightning rods.

To avoid, it is better to install the lightning rod as high as possible.

It’s great if there is a tall tree near the house on which the system element will be installed.

The ground electrode is installed no closer than 1 meter from the wall of the house. This is due to the fact that sufficient space is needed to distribute the released energy.

Otherwise, a short circuit may occur in the house and there will be voltage surges.

It is also necessary to remember that from roads and fences, especially if they consist of metal, there must be at least 5 meters to the ground electrode.

Why is it important to install the lightning rod as high as possible? In this case, it will be able to capture energy from lightning at a large angle. The lower the receiver, the worse the capture is.

Will help you find answers to your questions.