Tall towers transmitting cellular signals are located almost everywhere you look. For its purpose, communication equipment and antennas are mounted on the buildings, allowing wireless communication and signal transmission for phones and radios. Engineers and tower owners are constantly bringing up updates to the data and 5G technologies due to its ever-growing demand for uninterrupted and high data speed. This is a more robust technology and backbone to every communication sector. It is necessary for this electric equipment and supporting technology to work correctly to ensure proper signal reception and uninterrupted communication in the area.
Where is Electric Safety Installation Required for Towers?
Owing to the tall height of telecom towers, there are growing concerns about the high risk from lightning strikes. This brings communication towers to the list of structures that require a well designed and proper lighting protection system installation. As we know, lightning hits on the highest conductor can conduct this high bolt of current that descends the sky. The fact is, more height of the tower makes it more likely to be hit by the lighting because lighting always finds the shortest path to the ground. They must be vetted with electric safety as electronic equipment can conduct and make the matter worse. Should it be a significant concern? They build static charge upon it, which can damage electronic equipment, such as antennae, wires, etc., that is attached to the tower. They need a sound lighting protection system complying with mandatory specifications and codes.
How Can Telecom Towers Be Effectively Protected Against Lightning Damages?
We understand how vital installing a proper lightning protection system is to communication towers and their equipment. For years our products, namely Air terminal, Downconductor, Maintenance free earthing system, have been utilized in dealing with this natural phenomenon and stay protected from high energy bolts. All communication towers need to defend against lightning firmly embedded as in the recommended standard for lightning and surge protection technology. So, JMV LPS Ltd. offers a conventional protection plan, an age-old proven technology as per IEC 62305 recommending the use of Air terminals and down conductors network, insulators, and maintenance free tripod earthing exothermic connection technology, etc. to provide maximum shielding against lightning strikes.
Related Post: How to Protect Your Home From Lightning Strike
Lighting causes health risk and damages which can be defended by installing a capture system on the top-notch point of the tower, i.e. we need to have an air terminal of required height which would be electrically linked to the maintenance-free earthing system. The maintenance-free earthing system as per IS 3043: 2018 is recommended where copper bonded round conductor is extended into the earth, which connects with the earth’s conducting part, allowing the fault to dissipate into the ground freely. Earthing is a critical segment where the soil texture matters greatly, along with conductor earth enhancement compound, which is a material of resistivity less than 0.12 ohm-meters.
The entire structure and the connected communication equipment can be properly shielded and made immune to long-term exposure. This coherent technology should be a part of all towers to ensure seamless and cost-effective operation throughout its lifespan.
Need an Overall Summary Regarding Lightning Protection?
The formation of static charges on towers attracts lighting, which can cause damage to equipment and the building. Here comes the requirement of standard-compliant and certified lightning protection installation. Proper system designing and grounding of all the components will provide a safe path for lightning strikes – be it direct or nearby lightning; otherwise, parts can get damaged beyond rectification, and wires may get burnt.
Awareness of structural protection and the concept of developing a code compliant protection scheme to intercept lightning flashes is a must for such industry.
