How to ground a country house from a thunderstorm. Making a lightning rod with your own hands: complete instructions

A lightning protection device allows you to protect your home and people living in it from lightning strikes.

Absolutely every home needs personal protection from lightning, which will depend on its type, building material and other indicators.

In order for lightning protection to be more reliable during a thunderstorm, before installing it, you should thoroughly study the mechanism of lightning occurrence and the principle of its operation.

Lightning is an impulse electric current, affecting trees, houses, animals and people. When lightning passes through objects, it forms thermal energy, which results in fires.

That is why, to protect a house from lightning strikes, it is necessary to provide a lightning protection system.

According to its principle of operation, lightning protection of a private house is of the following types:

1. passive;
2. active.

In the first version it is more traditional and popular. It includes a lightning rod, a special down conductor and a grounding system. The purpose of such lightning protection is to catch lightning discharges using an air terminal, direct it to grounding and extinguish the discharge in the ground. When installing this lightning protection, consider the material from which the roof is made.

In the second type, lightning protection at home works on the principle of ionizing the air around the lightning rod and intercepting electrical discharges.

This lightning protection has an increased operating radius, it is approximately 95 m.

And as a result, not only your home, but also nearby buildings can be protected from lightning strikes. The price of this lightning protection is much higher than passive, which is why its popularity is very low.

Main indicators of protection of a country house

1. The first indicator of lightning protection is a lightning rod; it consists of the following elements:
2. lightning rod;
3. down conductor;

ground loop. Lightning rod

- a lightning protection component that performs the function of catching electrical discharges.

Such an element is made of metal, and its installation takes place directly. When installing lightning protection for a large private house, you need to take care of installing several receivers at once.

1) According to their design features, lightning rods can be divided into:. As a rule, they are mounted in a vertical position and rise above the entire area of ​​the house. chimney used as a place for lightning rods. The diameter of such an air terminal is at least 5 cm. An air terminal of this type provides lightning protection for a house with a metal tile roof.

2) Receiver in the form of a cable, made of metal- installed in a tensioned position between two wooden supports. Used when carrying out work on lightning protection devices for wooden roofs.

3) Receivers in the form of lightning protection mesh create the highest quality protection because they cover almost the entire surface of the roof. A good option For . Any of the lightning rods must be connected to any steel object located on the roof.

No less important indicator A lightning rod system is a current drain. This part of the protection is responsible for the timely transfer of electrical charge to the ground loop. This element is made from metal wire with a thickness of 0.6 cm.

For a high-quality connection of the lightning rod with the current drain, welding is used. The seams after welding must be of high quality so as not to tear under the influence of atmospheric factors.

The conductor element is located on the roof and passes along the walls to the ground.

To fix it to the wall surface, it is recommended to use staples. If there are several down conductors, the distance between them should be at least 20 m.

Such elements should not be bent, so that when an electric charge is transferred, a fire does not occur. The down conductor should be as short as possible.

Lightning protection in a private house contains a grounding loop. This is a mechanism for ensuring high-quality contact between an electric charge and the surface of the earth. This circuit has components consisting of three electrodes connected to each other, located in the ground.

Grounding of lightning protection of a private house and electrical appliances is carried out using one circuit. In order to make grounding you need to use a copper or steel object. First dig a hole about 300 cm long and about a meter deep.

The interval between the grounding and the walls of the house must be at least 100 cm. In addition, the grounding loop must be located near the passage areas, and the distance between them must be at least 500 cm.

Methods for installing lightning protection at home

Two types of installation of wires for discharging electrical discharge and receiving lightning can be distinguished:

1. tension parts;
2. design like a clamping mechanism.

In the first option, rigid anchor mechanisms are used, which are installed on the main parts and houses, and cables are pulled between them.

For their rigid fixation, special clamps are installed. When equipping lightning rods, a plastic bracket is used that is capable of holding them at a given distance in relation to the roof.

On flat roof and it is better to install parts in the form of self-driving clamps. If the roof of the house is covered ceramic tiles, then certain difficulties may arise in fixing the clamps. Therefore, it is recommended to use special mechanisms that ensure reliable fastening And easy installation designs.

Screw clamps connect the elements of the lightning rod and down conductor. For their production, brass, copper or galvanized steel is used.

How to protect yourself from lightning at home

It is quite possible to do lightning protection with your own hands.

To make a lightning protection mesh you will need steel wire with a diameter of 0.5 mm. To attach the wires to each other, welding is needed. At the same time, all joints must be strong and reliable.

After manufacturing, the mesh must be laid on the roof and connected to the down conductor and the ground loop. This mesh is used only if the roof of your house is not made of metal.

The use of lightning protection wire is relevant if the roof of the building is not metal.

The operation of the lightning rod consists of the following: you need to install two insulators and put them on metal cable. Place this structure on the ridge area, 30 cm above the ridge itself. The diameter of the wire should be six millimeters.

After firmly fixing the wire around one of the pipes, make a loop that will connect to the lightning rod.

To connect them, use welding.

To make a down conductor you will need the same wire. Ultimately, you should have a structure in the form of a protective zone that will protect any non-metal roof from lightning. Another option for a lightning rod

- This is a receiver in the form of a pin. The shape of this lightning rod can be different:

rectangular, round, oval, square, etc. You need to choose very strong pins that can take on a powerful load from a lightning strike. The material from which the pin is made must not be susceptible to oxidation. Under no circumstances should the lightning rod be painted. Its cross-section should be at least 1.2 cm.

The main function of a down conductor is considered to be transmitting an impulse to the ground. To connect to the lightning rod, welding is used. This option works well on metal roofs.

Home protection and grounding

Good grounding can protect your home from lightning. To ensure proper operation of the entire lightning protection system, it is necessary to adhere to the technological aspects of constructing a grounding loop.

Improper grounding of the house will damage not only nearby objects, but also the house itself.

For high-quality lightning protection residential buildings you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

1) When purchasing materials, pay attention to their quality. It is good if the grounding comes from brass, copper or aluminum objects. You can replace these items with regular steel, but over time it can rust and lose its properties.

2) When using steel, the grounding must be periodically checked or changed, if any large plots corrosion.

3) Install more than one metal rod in the ground. This will improve the quality of lightning protection. To install lightning protection in a house, the grounding loop will consist of three rods.

4) The length of the rod depends on the depth of soil freezing in a particular region. It should exceed this figure by about 25 cm.

5) Use conductive materials to connect the rods together.

6) When connecting pins, it is prohibited to wind the wire onto their surface. It is necessary to use crimp sleeves and welding. This type of connection is especially strong and reliable.

7) Arrange down conductors and grounding in places inaccessible to children and pets.

Place the grounding in a place where moisture accumulates.

Standard tips for caring for lightning protection:

1) At the beginning of spring, check all lightning protection elements for functionality.

2) Look at the degree of rust on surfaces metal objects. Replace them if necessary.

3) Paint certain areas of the protection every two years, check connections, tighten wires and clean contacts.

4) Once every five years, open the grounding and carry out a full inspection and maintenance.

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:

• The first indicator of lightning protection is a lightning rod; it consists of the following elements:
• lightning rod;
• 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 down conductors, electricity enters 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 mounted on a frame (on the roof, next to the building, on high 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.

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

Mesh lightning rods are made in the form metal mesh and represent reinforcement cage 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 better than rod or mesh receivers at 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 insulation from environment(cable channels will do). Another requirement is the choice for the down conductor itself shortcut from the lightning rod to the grounding device.

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. Electric charge, entering the grounding loop through a 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 right place for installation of lightning protection.

Calculation formula

Lightning protection is a rather complex and responsible system due to the tasks it performs. When planning it, accurate calculations and assessment of potential risks are required. 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. In this case, the required cross-sectional area 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 that shows the minimum requirements for lightning protection components, based on the type of metal:

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 question - correct placement grounding device. When a lightning strike occurs, a high-power discharge passes into the ground and at this moment no living beings 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 up 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.

Note! Effective work Grounding is possible only 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 down conductor is fixed to the receiver using 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 the cable channel to avoid the harmful effects of moisture on it.

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

For installation rod system you will need a high stand. 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 - so important element ensuring the safety of residents and the building, that it is worth undertaking its creation only with full confidence in your knowledge and experience. If this feeling is not enough, it is better to entrust the work to professionals.

From a school physics course we know that lightning is a huge electrical discharge that carries a lot of thermal energy. The consequences of a lightning strike can be catastrophic, so at all times humanity has tried to create devices and instruments that would protect them from this natural scourge. IN modern world lightning protection of a private home is a combination of design features buildings and special devices designed to discharge electricity into the ground. The latter is called a lightning rod, how does it work, what are the requirements for it?

Types of lightning protection

Lightning protection of a home is divided into two categories: internal and external. The purpose of the first is to protect against lightning, the thunderstorm of which did not hit the house itself. For example, it can get into a power line that connects to the house's internal electrical wiring. In this case, in internal wiring high overvoltages occur. Consequence: failure of most of the household appliances. In any case, the one that was plugged into the sockets at that time. The wires may burn out, a short circuit may occur, the worst case scenario is a fire if the wiring was carried out according to wooden floors or the house was made of wood.

This problem can be solved by installing in the electrical network special devices, which will protect it from surge voltages. For example, surge suppressors, all kinds of arresters, SPD (surge protection device). All devices are installed in switchboard Houses.

External protection

External lightning protection is a lightning rod, which consists of three main elements:

• The first indicator of lightning protection is a lightning rod; it consists of the following elements:
• lightning rod;
• ground loop.

The main requirement for all three elements is reliable connection them among themselves. Depending on the roofing material, it is necessary to use and different types lightning protection. There are three of them: pin, cable and mesh.

Pin

It is usually used if the roof of the house is covered with metal roofing material. For example, metal tiles, corrugated sheets or tin. To do this, you need to install a metal pin on the roof, which will rise above the ridge of the roof of the house, approximately 1-2 m higher. This will be the lightning rod. It can be made from a metal rod with a diameter of 8-12 mm, or a steel strip 4-5 mm thick and 25-35 mm wide can be used for this.

Such a lightning rod can remove electric shocks elements around a house with an area equal to the area where the radius is the height of the lightning rod. And the higher the pin is installed, the larger the area that it protects from lightning strikes.

The removal capacity of an air terminal is not based on the size of the area it covers. If we take into account that the vertical line for installing the pin is the height of the isosceles triangle, then the base of this figure will be two height sizes. It turns out that a circle with a radius equal to the height of the pin installation can form on the ground surface.

Rosovaya

This lightning rod requires a cable that is stretched along the roof ridge, and it is suspended at a height of half a meter above the installation level of the ridge. To do this, it is best to use a cable made of galvanized wires with a common minimum cross-section 5-7 mm. This protection against lightning is used if the roof of the house is covered with slate.

The cable is pulled along the ridge and attached to wooden racks installed along the edges of the ridge beam. If the roof is long, then there may be more racks, the main thing is to maintain a slight slack in the cable. Strong sagging is unacceptable, because this reduces the distance from the roof ridge to the lightning rod. And it should not be less than 1 m. The mounting method is varied, the strength of the installation is important here. You can fasten it with clamps (metal or plastic); if the cable is thin, 5-8 mm, then you can simply tie it and additionally tie it with wire.

Mesh

It's more complex design, which is installed on roofs covered with tiles. Making such a lightning rod with your own hands is not easy. For this, steel wire rod with a cross section of 6-8 mm is used, which is laid over the entire surface of the roof slopes in the form of a grid with cell sizes of 6x6 m or more, it all depends on the area of ​​the roof. All connections are welded, fastened to the roof using brackets.

As for the down conductor, this is a line connecting the lightning rod to the ground loop. Typically, steel wire rod with a diameter of 6-8 mm is used for this. It is important here that the current-carrying element can withstand high current strength, which often reaches 200,000 amperes. If ready-made protection is selected, its current conductor is copper or aluminum wire with a diameter of 6 mm.

Requirements for down conductors.

1. This should be the shortest path from the lightning rod to the ground loop.
2. When laying, bends and creases should not be used, which, in the process of removing electricity, will become the site of the appearance of a spark charge, which, as practice shows, leads to ignition.
3. The laying route is chosen so that the wire does not pass near windows and doors.
4. If a lightning protection device is being manufactured wooden house, then the down conductor is installed at a distance of 15-20 cm from the surfaces of the wooden structure. For this, special staples are used. They are a metal clamp, the base of which is made of hard and durable plastic. It is the plastic that protects the conductive element from contact with wooden structures Houses. The bracket is attached with self-tapping screws. By the way, these brackets are also used in the construction of a mesh lightning rod, where the distance between them is 1.5-2.0 m.
5. If the protection of buildings and structures from lightning is a large mesh structure, or a long laid cable, or several pins are used on the roof, then there must also be several down conductors, the distance between which is 25 m (according to SO 153-34.21.122-2003).
6. The wire rod is carried along the walls of the building, along the gables and sharp protrusions of the roof. That is, in those areas that can be struck by lightning.

Ground loop

The lightning protection circuit in a private house is carried out according to the same scheme and design as the grounding of electrical networks.

• One meter from the foundation of the house and at least five meters from front door, paths, platforms, trenches are dug in the shape of an equilateral triangle. The depth of the trenches is 80 cm, width is 60 cm, length is 1.5-2 m.
• Angle steel pins measuring 50x50x5 mm are driven into the corners of the triangle. The depth of burial is 2-3 m. The corners should not be driven completely into the ground, the height of the free protruding section is 20-30 cm.
• The pins are connected to each other by a steel strip 4 mm thick and 40 mm wide. You can use the same corners for these elements as for the pins.
• This lightning protection grounding circuit is connected to the down conductor.

Attention! All connecting joints must be secured electric welding. Bolted connections are not recommended, because during operation of the lightning rod country house they can weaken, rust and weaken the conductivity of the entire structure.

DIY assembly

Before making a lightning rod in a private house, you need to decide what type of lightning rod to choose. If this is a pin version, then the pin itself must be installed not on roofing material, but on the sheathing.

After that, a current-carrying wire is laid with your own hands. If the length of the purchased piece of wire or rod is not enough, then you can connect two pieces using an aluminum or copper contact, which is used in air lines power transmission The distance between brackets is 1.5-2.0 m.

A grounding loop is constructed to which the down conductor is attached. Before welding, all joints of elements must be cleaned to a metallic shine. If ready-made lightning protection for a private building is used, then it is used as a connection special devices on bolted connections made of non-ferrous metal.

Attention! The best option, if the grounding and lightning protection loops are located close to each other and connected to each other by wire rod or strip. This does not violate the lightning protection device standards, and the circuit becomes twice as large.

When installing lightning protection in your own private home with your own hands, you need to understand that this is an element of safety not only for the building, but also for the people living in it. Therefore, you should not put off its installation for a long time. Perfect time for installation - building a private house with your own hands.

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The presence of lightning rods on the site is simply necessary. Lightning is a pulse of electric current of significant strength that occurs due to the accumulation of charge in thunderclouds. The current strength in this case can reach 200,000 A - such powerful lightning is rare, but with a force of up to 100,000 A it occurs regularly. A lightning rod in a private house does not prevent the occurrence of lightning, it only diverts it, protecting the house from fire. Discharge passing through different materials, causes the release of thermal energy, which causes fires and destruction.

About lightning rods

As for what a lightning rod looks like, it consists of:

• lightning rod (intercepts lightning charge);
• down conductor (needed to drain current into the ground electrode);
• ground electrode (creates reliable contact of the device with the ground).

Lightning rods can be installed both near the house and on it - this is shown in the photo. Separate parts of the house can also serve as parts of a lightning rod. All lightning rod elements must be made of the same metal.

Lightning rod

A steel rod is usually used as a lightning rod, which should rise above the house. The cross-sectional area is 50 mm2, this value can be compared with a rolled wire with a diameter of 8 millimeters. A rod made of copper (sectional area 35 mm2) and aluminum (70 mm2) are also used.

It is allowed to use individual parts of the building as a lightning rod, such as metal roofing, metal fencing and drainpipes.

The metal roof must be a single integral element without breaks. The thickness of the coating layer should be 4 millimeters for iron roofing, 5 millimeters for copper, 7 millimeters for aluminum. There should be no insulating layer on the surface of the coating (with the exception of anti-corrosion metal paint).

As a lightning rod metal roof It is a truss connected to the rest by reinforcement.

Fencing or downspouts can be used if the cross-section is larger than the recommended value.

Down conductor

It is advisable to use the following sections: for copper - 16 square millimeters, for aluminum - 25 mm2, for steel - 50 mm2. The down conductor must go from the lightning rod directly to the ground along the shortest path. Worth avoiding large quantity turns at an acute angle, otherwise a spark charge may occur between adjacent sections. This will result in a fire.

Typically, the down conductor is represented by a bare metal strip and rolled wire. During construction brick house The down conductor can be laid both inside the wall and outside. If the walls are made of flammable material, the lightning rod must be installed so that it reaches them minimum distance it was 10 centimeters - more is better. In order to improve contact with the walls, metal brackets are used.

Ground electrode

To create a grounding conductor, steel (sectional area 80 mm2) or copper (sectional area 50 mm2) is used. The design of the ground electrode is quite simple. To create it, dig a trench with a depth of 0.5 meters and a length of 3 meters, drive steel rods at the ends and connect them by welding.

A branch is welded to the structure to connect the down conductor to the house. Then the grounding conductor is brought to the bottom of the trench, while painting the welding areas. When arranging it, it is necessary to maintain a distance of at least 1 meter from the wall and 5 meters from the porch and path.

Installation of lightning rods

A lightning rod is a bare conductor with a maximum cross-section and a large area, protected from corrosion. It is usually made of galvanized steel or copper wire, although duralumin and aluminum are sometimes used. High-quality lightning rods come from corners made of galvanized steel, as well as from tinned copper wire. Such structures take on the lightning charge and direct it along the cable to grounding. The lightning rod cannot be insulated or painted.

A lightning rod can protect a cone with an inclination angle of 45-50 degrees from a lightning strike. The higher the lightning rods for the dacha are, the larger the area they can remove lightning from. It follows from this that the height at which the lightning rod is located is equal to the protected area horizontally. If the lightning rod is located at a height of 15 meters, it is capable of receiving lightning within a radius of 15 meters.

It's good if there is a tree near the house. In such a situation, you can attach the lightning rod to a long metal pole, and then attach it to the tree with synthetic cord clamps - so as not to damage it and not prevent further growth. In addition, the lightning rod must be raised to such a height that the house falls within the area of ​​the protective cone.

If there is no tree growing nearby, you can connect a lightning rod to a television antenna. Such masts are usually made of metal and are not painted - they are excellent lightning rods. If the television antenna is wooden, a wire or bare wire is run along it - it is recommended to use 3-4 pieces. At least one wire will be blown by the wind.

A mast 1.5-1.9 meters high (from the skates) is installed on each gable of the house. It can be either wooden or metal. Thick wires are stretched between the masts on insulators. In this case, you need to firmly connect the wire to the ground. Such a lightning rod creates a zone of good lightning protection around the house.

How to make grounding yourself, video example:

Reliable grounding can only be ensured if the site has groundwater. Even if you bury a huge piece of metal in the ground, dry soil will not allow current to conduct well. For a lightning rod to be effective, it is necessary to determine the depth at which the ground never dries out - this is how deep the grounding should be. Sometimes, to moisten the soil, drainage of precipitation from the roof is connected to the grounding point.

The lightning rod does not require special care. It will be sufficient to check the condition of the metal connections. They must be securely connected. It is recommended to use copper or brass terminals, clip the end of the wire with special copper or aluminum contacts, or use solder.

There is nothing complicated about how to make a lightning rod in a country house. The main thing is to follow all the advice exactly and carefully calculate its height so that it can provide the house with reliable protection, and also connect the structural elements well with each other. In summer, do not forget about maintaining constant humidity in the grounding area.

Historical background or Who invented the lightning rod? A lightning rod (or lightning rod) is a mechanism that is installed on structures and performs the function of protection against lightning strikes. Colloquially also known as a “lightning rod”.

It is generally accepted that the lightning rod was an invention of Benjamin Franklin, which he made in 1752, but there is also evidence that similar structures existed before this date (for example, the high masts of ancient temples in Ancient Egypt, there were also structures at the Temple of King Solomon in Jerusalem, the Nevyansk Tower, paper kites by Jacques Rom). In Russia, the first lightning rods were created by M. V. Lomonosov and G. V. Richman in 1753.

In this article we will talk about what a lightning rod is and how it works, who invented the lightning rod and how to make a lightning rod for a country house with your own hands.

Lightning strikes are extremely dangerous phenomenon nature, especially in situations where structures are located in open areas, precisely because in order to ensure the peace and safety of your family, it is necessary to install a lightning rod. Installing a lightning rod will not require a huge amount of time, but in the end you will be sure that the buildings are reliably protected from various weather troubles.

Necessary funds and building materials

To install a lightning rod in a private house you will need:

• pin for lightning rod;
• metal wire made of copper or aluminum with a cross-section of 6 mm and corrugation for the current conductor;
• stainless steel for grounding preparation;
• welding machine;
• saw with a blade for metal;
• drill - electric;
• multimeter;
• sledgehammer or hammer;
• bayonet shovel;
• spanners;
• M8 or M10 bolts;
• dowels;
• clamps for fastening;
• powerful wooden pole;
• holders.

Preparation stage

Planning must begin with determining the height of the structure. The top of the lightning rod must be located up to 12 meters above the ground.

It is necessary to take into account that structures designed to protect buildings from lightning strikes protect buildings only in a limited area. The space around the structure itself can be considered protected. Therefore, when building a lightning rod, it is necessary to take this into account and build them in such a way that all objects located on the site are protected.

There are two types of structures:

• Type A
• Type B

Type A lightning rods provide 99% protection, making them the most effective lightning protection structures.

Structures of type B, compared to structures of type A, are less efficient and, as a result, protect the structure by only 95%.

Important! The safety zone created by the lightning rod will be within a radius of 1.5 times the height of the mast.

That is, at a height of 10 meters, the lightning rod will cover an area with a diameter of 30 meters. If it is necessary to protect a larger area with buildings, then the construction of two or three masts, evenly spaced throughout the area, will help solve the problem of lightning removal. The lightning rod must be at a height of more than 2 meters from the surface to effectively perform the function of protecting the house from lightning.

Selection of grounding installation location

The grounding loop must be located at a distance of up to 1 meter from the foundation of the building that will be protected by the lightning rod, and a few meters from the sidewalks and porch. The grounding point during a thunderstorm is dangerous, so it is necessary to position it so as not to put household members and guests at risk. It would be best to find a place for it near a wall or fence enclosing the house. One option is to place some kind of flower bed or other composition of boulders, stones, etc. around the grounding zone.

Most suitable materials for components:

It is also necessary to determine and mark in advance the locations of all structural elements.

Installation of the structure

• Installation of ground electrode.

After marking, a triangle-shaped hole is created using a shovel - each side of which must be at least 1200 mm, with a depth of 600 - 700 mm. A trench is laid from the top of the triangle towards the wall of the house. At the end point the end of the down conductor will be suitable.

At the ends of the vertical parts of the grounding elements, the corners are cut off with a grinder, then the pointed ends are driven into the ground to a depth of 2 meters with a heavy metal sledgehammer. When digging the pointed ends of the grounding into the ground, it is necessary to strike with a sledgehammer strictly vertically so as not to bend the structure.

Using a welding machine, pieces of the same material are welded, from which a metal triangle is formed in the trenches.

• Installation of a lightning rod (lightning rod).

To install an air terminal, you can use two methods:

The pantograph is placed on the roof and then vertically down on the wall and is attached to the roof and wall with semicircular plastic or metal clamps. Bottom part The current washer must be fixed to the grounding lead from the wall of the house.

To do this, a hole is made in the grounding plate into which a bolt with a washer, nut and locknut is installed. The stripped (sharp) end of the down conductor is clamped using a washer, nut and bolt, along with a twisted pair wire wrapped around the bolt. Then the holes are filled in.

Examination

The installed system must be checked with a multimeter. Perform a resistance measurement - the device should have a value no higher than 10 ohms. If the device readings differ from the standard ones, check all the joints of the structure - there should be good electrical conductivity along the entire contour of the structure.

Conclusion

A properly installed lightning rod on the roof can protect your home and nearby buildings from lightning.

It is important to note that in the case of private houses, the issue of lightning rod is decided by the owner. There are a number of factors when locating buildings that, in principle, minimize the likelihood of a lightning strike into a house:

• if the house is located in a low area, then the probability of a lightning strike to the house during a thunderstorm is extremely low;
• If there is a higher-rise building next to the house, it will most likely be struck by lightning. Thus, the danger of a lightning strike is mitigated by the presence of a taller building next to it;
• If a lightning rod is installed on a neighboring house, then your house may also fall within the coverage area of ​​the neighbor's lightning rod.

Thus, in some cases there may not be an urgent need to install a lightning rod. The feasibility of installation must be assessed depending on the above factors.