BertKu

Hi Bony999 All lightning arresters have a mounting device where they are fit in. Ask your supplier in my case Electrcomp to email you the details of the device you have selected. i.e. I am going for 100KA TDK Epcos ceramic arrestor, if they can import them in small volumes. Bert

Sorry Bony 999, I went down and am only now able to reply. 1) First at all keep your earth pin into the ground, provided it is less the 10 Ohm Otherwise you have to add spikes or relocate them, 2) I took thick copper plumbing pipe and hammer them flat, so that it could withstand high currents and drilled 2 holes and mount them with SS 316 bolts and nuts and a few panels with yellow copper bolts and nuts all together.. so that all the panel frames are one!!. a The 100Ka lightning arrestor is mounted between the one end of all the panels and the one on the other end. . Between the 2 lightning arrestors other ends , I have a 8 mm copper welding cable wire mounted to my earth spikes I have. That is all , Should the lightning find my installation attractive, which is not possible, because I dont think so/ But should I have an hit or a close by hit with high voltage field, it will collapse to earth and the surge is rerouted to earth. Bert

That is one reason why I don't like panel frames to be earthed directly and not via lightning arrestors to earth. There is a risk that due to movement by wind the solar negative may touch one day the panel frame. For 50 years I am used that a surge protector is a lightning protector without a MOV, varistor in serial. Very confusing for people who mix a lightning proctor with a SPD. Bert

I forgot to mention. They are manufcturered by TDK and sold in RSA by Electro......... Surge Arresters for L-N and N-PE Applications TDK has developed a new line of EPCOS surge arresters that are designed especially for AC power line applications based on the IEC lightning protection zone concept. The new arresters meet the requirements for class I, II, and III protection with current capabilities of up to 100 kA for L-N as well as N-PE applications. Regards Bert

Thank you all, who replied to my question, really appreciated.

Hi Bonny999 and GMAC Yes I found the right solution. 2 of those parallel will solve the problem at a 2 corners with the solar panels frames proper connected to a 10mm thick (80 mm2) copper welding wire via 4 lightning arrestors parallel each to 3 earthing pins in the ground. Surge protection devices Power supply units Green energy installations, such as photovoltaic and wind energy Potential bonding in telecommunications, railway and pipeline installations Features I imp up to 100 kA In up to 100 kA UL 1449 approved Withstand capability acc. to IEC 61643-11 Customer-specific terminals RoHS-compatible I will approach the committee and ask for approval to place lightning arrestors to be placed between solar panels frame and earth. BertKu

I am also a little bit confused. I approach the insurance people and they stated, that I do not need a COC if the inverter is not connected to the wall and the DB board, and is lose standing. But I have solar panels 6 off them, and they are connected. What rules should be applicable to my installation.? I like to thank you for your information about the cabling etc. I have an engineering certificate about the weight etc of the panels. What should I apply further for my installation. I am aware of the consequences of, if I earth the panels and am looking for a solution that surges and strikes created by a lightning strike can be properly exposed of without that I attract lightning strikes. Anybody has an opinion? thanks if you do have. BertKu

Hi Bony999 One cannot use a lightning arrestor over items, like 230VAC application or when the arrestor will damage something when the voltage is dropped to 10 Volt,like in a mains circuit with transformer. Only if the short circuit takes place , that than no equipment is damaged. example: input over an areal, on top of a tower etc, building, boat, routing the lightning to earth. The strike is in bursts normally and as soon it hits the arrestor, within 10 nanosecond, the arrestor shortens to 10 Volt (Siemens most types) and if the current is in bursts, the arrestor recovers at a rise time of 75 Volt/us, thus that is my gamble, that arrestors placed parallel would all conduct practically at the same time. But, it should be the same make and the same model and current ratings. I am gambling that the heat dissipation, if the first one collapses, is not enough to damage the first one, but that the current starts spreading over the multiple arrestors. Hi Bony999 I had a wifi interuption and started all over again, here are both replies One can only use a gassarrestor in an application that the shortening does not damage the application Mounting over the 230 Volt AC is a no go. The working of a lightning arrestor (Siemens small types) the lightning strike drops to 10 Volt over the arrestor and this is within 10 Nanoseconds, Thus the voltage of the strike drops to 10 Volt provided it is within the current rating. The arrestor is conducted . As soon the electrons are discharged the arrestor is opening up at +/-75Volt/uS and then the next burst discharge. When the 75Volt/uS is not reached, the arrestors absorb the next current burst straight away and that means that a second parallel arrestor most likely does not shortens and the first arrestors blows to pieces. The problem is Bony999, I can only tell you if it works, when I get a lightning strike and that should not be happening as the frames are not directly connected to earth but via a series of parallel connected lightning arrestors. I am lower than all the surrounding buildings and lightning goes via the best earth route. A piece of metal on a roof does not attract lightning. Only if it is connected somehow as the best earth route. Bertku

That is interesting. I googled and they stated that you can place lightning arrestors parallel having a similar characteristics I assume that they must come out of the same production batch, but they should be practical the same. I am going to try it with 20 or 30 x 10 or 20 Kilo Ampere lightning restorers parallel BertKu

Hi Bony999 The dual lightning arrestors were special designed "floating wires" applications like telephone, 2 floating wires, whereby the both outside connections are for the floating wires and the middle part to earth. Should a lightning strike travel over the wires, the surge may not arrive at the same time to the lightning arrestor, thereby both lines are protected. You could see it as two lightning arrestors packed in one casing. Asking what my friend Google thinks, about placing lightning arrestors parallel, there are some who thinks it could be beneficial to have lots of arrestors parallel. I am concerned about that statement, because of the high current, that the first arrestor conducting will explode and then the next will explode etc. Well only a proper test will give an answer. To answer your idea of having a small cap one , i.e. thus the frames are not connected to earth, thus the lightning will not be attractive to go that route and probably skip your house, but the gap should in my view not be more than 1 mm. But the problem is, you are not according to the law. But if it hits your solar panels frames, the lightning may flow through glass impurities and flows into the wiring to your inverter. Also not a good idea. You see a lightning arrestor is conducting when a strike hits the frames and immediately within nano seconds flows to the 3 spiked very low earth resistance. I don't like lightning, I had a strike on my tennis court, the energy in the surrounding area was enormous. Bert

Hi Bony999,k fat 10 to 12 On your question , how I should do the mounting. I would run a copper thick fat 10 to 12 mm2 copper welding cable run along the various panels. Then connect at various places of the series of solar panels the lightning arrestors to the fat thick copper cable running to the earthing 3 ground pins. Bear in mind, lightning arrestors parallel close next to each other is a no go, I think. Otherwise i could have placed 20 x 10 KA lightning arrestors parallel. But they will probably pop like a popcorn machine. I wish that the Siemens factory would still be in exsistance in Berlin, I could have asked them to do an experiment for me, to place 10 arrestors parralel and shoot 50 KAmpere at it. Will they all pop, or will there a be a sequence of tripping and the 50 KAmpere is rerouted to earth. Bert P.S. Maybe CSIR may be able to do such a test. (lightning arrestor- small resistance)+ (lightning arrestor- small resistace ) etc with 10 z 10 KAmpere lightning arrestors all in a string. What would happen and will it be a good solution for 50 KA - 100 KA. Bert

I am pleased that some people realize what the real problem is. Tell him, to thank him for using his practical experience, not those few engineers who have an incredible theoretical knowledge , but lack the practical side of it. He is right, for 20 years my electronic gate motor survived lightning by not having it earthed. Sadly i put an earth to it, after modifying the electronics and it blew all my Mosfets and even all transistors. It took only a month and now I had to rebuild the electronics again. Bert

I am pleased that some people realize what the real problem is. Tell him, to thank him for using his practical experience, not those few engineers who have an incredible theoretical knowledge , but lack the practical side of it. He is right, for 20 years my electronic gate motor survived lightning by not having it earthed. Sadly i put an earth to it, after modifying the electronics and it blew all my Mosfets and even all transistors. It took only a month and now I had to rebuild the electronics again. Bert

Thank you Bonny, my apology, My wife had a hip replacement and that took me also down. Had to give her 100 % attention. That is interesting stuff you found for me. I hope to get something, which can handle higher currents and faster in time. The Siemens was up to 50 Ka and 10 nano second reaction time + max breakdown voltage was approx 10 Volt for duration of the strike. That one would have been ideal, The problem is. If the lightning strikes , let say 6 panels at the other end, the resistance of the frames to the earth might be 0,05 Ohm, but at 50.000 Ampere is means 2500 Volt still, thus i like to have arrestors on more than one frame with a fat copper bar to the central earth. But that is a dream, not easily to materialize. Bert