Buildings — Lesson 3

This lesson covers the principles of lightning protection for buildings. It explains why such systems are necessary, how they work, and the different components involved. The lesson emphasizes that the purpose of lightning protection is not to prevent lightning strikes, but to control where they hit and safely divert the lightning current to the ground. It also discusses the need for both external and internal lightning protection systems. The lesson further delves into the elements of a lightning protection system, including air termination systems, down conductor systems, grounding systems, bonding systems, and surge protection components. It also provides a brief overview of the methods for designing air terminations and the importance of bonding at the service entrance of a building.

Video Highlights

00:13 - Need for a lightning protection system for structures
05:34 - External lightning protection
10:16 - Grounding in lighting protection
12:42 - Methods for designing air termination
22:00 - Importance of bonding at the service entrance of a building
25:43 - Protection at the service entrance of buildings

Key Takeaways

- Lightning protection systems aim to control where lightning strikes and safely divert the current to the ground.
- Both external and internal lightning protection systems are necessary for comprehensive protection.
- Elements of a lightning protection system include air termination systems, down conductor systems, grounding systems, bonding systems, and surge protection components.
- Designing air terminations involves methods like the Protection Angle method, Mesh method, and Rolling Sphere method.
- Bonding at the service entrance of a building is crucial to prevent dangerous potential differences between systems during a lightning strike.