Lightning protection component testing

Standardised testing of lightning protection components

  • Metallic connection components such as connectors, connection and bridging components, expansion pieces and equipotential bonding rails in lightning protection systems must be tested according to EN 50164-1 "Lightning Protection Components (LPC) Part 1: Requirements for connection components". The named testing standard prescribed fixed testing arrangements. (Figure 4)
  • Lightning protection components should be classified according to their lightning current carrying capacity: Class H for high loads/100 kA, 50 As, 2.5 MAs lightning current and Class N for normal loads/50 kA, 25 As, 0.63 MAs lightning current
  • Before being subjected to lightning currents, conditioning/ageing through treatment with salt spray and a damp, sulphurous atmosphere is required. In special cases with components made of copper alloys with a copper component of < 80%, additional treatment with an ammoniac atmosphere is required.
  • After conditioning/ageing, the lightning current test is carried out with three lightning current pulses according to testing class H with 100 kA or N with 50 kA.
  • After the lightning current test, the samples on test must not show any signs of damage. The electrical contact resistance of the connection point may not exceed 1 m and, in the particular case of stainless steel, a value of 2.5 m. In addition, the release torque of screw connections may not fall below 0.25x the tightening torque or exceed 1.5x the tightening torque.
  • After successful testing, the results are documented and presented in a test report. The lightning protection component receives the BET test mark according to its testing class. Standardised testing of lightning protection components