Installation of Lightning Protection

[Gary Were]

Hi, I own a top floor apartment in Swansea. The lightning conductor above the roof of the apartment block runs through a channel along the edge of the roof which is permanently flooded with rain water (except after long dry periods) to a depth of 25-75mm. This doesn't seem safe to me. I would be grateful if anyone can tell me if this meets the regulatory requirements with regard to lightning protection. I have no electrical qualifications by the way.

Thanks, Gary Were.

 

[Engineer54]

That doesn't sound right at all to me. The LP air conductors should not be run through any channels. Any chance of a photo or two to see what you're actually talking about??

 

[Darkwood]

Might be a new water heater experiment ... but is this channel a guttering of some nature thats blocked up can't see having standing water in a roof trough been by design

 

[Gary Were]

Might be a new water heater experiment ... but is this channel a guttering of some nature thats blocked up can't see having standing water in a roof trough been by design

Thanks for your reply. The channel appears to be some sort of guttering which doesn't drain and as you suggest, this does seem to be a design/construction fault. However, my main concern is that the lightning conductor passes through this channel and is almost permanently submerged in water. What would happen in the event of a strike? Is it safe and does this contravene building regs?

Gary.

 

[Gary Were]

That doesn't sound right at all to me. The LP air conductors should not be run through any channels. Any chance of a photo or two to see what you're actually talking about??

Thanks for your reply. I'll try and get a shot and send it to you tomorrow. Cheers.

Gary.

 

[Gary Were]

That doesn't sound right at all to me. The LP air conductors should not be run through any channels. Any chance of a photo or two to see what you're actually talking about??

Sorry its taken so long, picture attached (I hope). I've also contacted a firm called Furse who make lightning protection kit and they say this contravenes the relevant British Standard.

 

[Engineer54]

Well from what i can see from your photo, there isn't an actual trough/channel as such, more of a badly designed or leveled flat roof that is holding water in places... I would say that the air conductor has been installed too far from the edge of the building and that the metal gutter type trim, doesn't look as if it's been connected to the LP system. Can't see any down conductor connection(s) either, i would expect to see a down conductor connection every 10 metres or so around the building on a installation of this type!!


Did you show this photo to Furse to comment on, ...if so what reasons did they give for contravening the LP Code of Practice??