Lightning protection testing

[Kate]

Oh and yes all I have to do is verify not record a reading. It's for a domestic, niceic installation certificate. I'm pretty sure it just asks bonding cable material, size and then you have to tick the verified box.

 

[Engineer54]

The bonding cable from the LP system, will be from one of the earth electrode positions connected to one or more of the down conductors (depending on the earth electrode system used). So no, you don't have to get up on the roof, the LP bonding cable should already be the MET, exactly the same as should be the water/gas etc, bonding cables....

The test is exactly the same as for a TT system, loop test with the LP bonding cable.

 

[Guest55]

Never seen a LP system of any size, that has NOT been connected to the protected buildings MET!!

agreed.
the church im working on now has 5 spire lightning tapes , all terminating to their own earth rod ,
all linked together with a whopping 95mm earth cable which commences at the MET.

test it my arse lol , a poke around with a screwdriver will suffice.
;-)

 

[Engineer54]

agreed.
the church im working on now has 5 spire lightning tapes , all terminating to their own earth rod ,
all linked together with a whopping 95mm earth cable which commences at the MET.

test it my arse lol , a poke around with a screwdriver will suffice.
;-)

I hope it doesn't commence at the MET, that connection should only be a bond to the LP system. Haven't seen a 95mm on any LP system, normally it'll be bare 50mm or 70mm hard drawn copper cable linking the electrodes, only the bonding cable would be insulated. That's hard drawn stuff, isn't anywhere near as flexible as the normal soft copper cable.

If all the electrodes are linked by this 95mm cable, i take it there is only one down conductor with a test point installed??

Well Kate's OP did state ''test/verify'' !! lol!!

 

[Kate]

Definitely only verify, thought I had to do a test to do that screwdriver poke sounds good! Lol

 

[Engineer54]

Definitely only verify, thought I had to do a test to do that screwdriver poke sounds good! Lol

Why, it's just a 2 minute job to test it?? lol!! Thing is, if the DNO permanent supply isn't installed yet, do you know what bonding cables are what at that main DB's MET??

 

[Kate]

Not a scooby. Have only done dead tests on the new completed circuits so far. Haven't even seen the mains yet. The electricians who installed everything will be there when I go back to test. So I can ask them what's what. But they don't know how to test so couldn't ask them.

 

[Engineer54]

Not a scooby. Have only done dead tests on the new completed circuits so far. Haven't even seen the mains yet. The electricians who installed everything will be there when I go back to test. So I can ask them what's what. But they don't know how to test so couldn't ask them.

Pardon, who are these electricians that can install but don't know how to test?? lol!!

 

[Kate]

Oops should have realised that would spark something. Some of them did the 5/6 week course thing. Learnt enough to pass thats it. We all sub contract to one guy, of course he gets them for cheap labour costs. The boss can test but hates it so hires me to do it! There are one or two that sub contract a few days here and there that can test but they refuse to as well.

 

[KAS1]

They sound like semi skilled to me lol