[Fourpar]

In light of recent (and not so recent) lightning "events" here in TV, does anyone here have a contractor to recommend (or not recommend) that installs Lightning Protection Systems in residential homes? Costs, etc. would be appreciated.
Thanks,

[champion6]

There is a lengthy discussion of this topic here:
Lightening Strike in Sable Chase

It's very informative.

[SteveFromNY]

A1 Lightning at www.a1lightning.com
Cost varies depending on size of house. I am not affiliated in any way, other than as a satisfied customer.

[k2at]

You might want to at least start with calling the electric company and have them install the the surge surprssors on your meter. This will partially protect you from spikes in your electirical line as well as transient lightning hits from afar. A direct hit and your house is toast, no matter what protection u take.

Mel

[GMONEY]

If you have SECO you can call 352-793-3801. Tell them you want info on the surge protection system. It is 5.76 a month to lease or 299 if you buy it. the 299 includes the install fee. they will install it and leave the kit for the inside of your house at the front door if you not home. This will not protect you from a direct hit as noted on thier site.
Seco might beable to give you info on lighting rod protection also. Just double check on who installs it. From reading up on it, they need to know what they are doing. But the SECO is a good surge protection system for the house.

[ijusluvit]

The original post asked about lightning protection systems, which cost at least $600-700. They consist of two or more lightning rods connected by heavy copper, (or acceptable metal substitute) cables which are strung down the outside of the house and connected to metal stakes buried deeply in the ground. They are the only practical protection from severe lightning strikes and the only way to reduce the risk of disaster when lightning ruptures attic gas lines.
Surge protection systems are cheaper. They do nothing to protect roofs or gas lines. They do reduce the risk of lightning damage to home appliances.

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by ijusluvit

The original post asked about lightning protection systems, which cost at least $600-700. They consist of two or more lightning rods connected by heavy copper, (or acceptable metal substitute) cables which are strung down the outside of the house and connected to metal stakes buried deeply in the ground. They are the only practical protection from severe lightning strikes and the only way to reduce the risk of disaster when lightning ruptures attic gas lines.
Surge protection systems are cheaper. They do nothing to protect roofs or gas lines. They do reduce the risk of lightning damage to home appliances.

$600-$700 is way low of an estimate. Depending on the house, you are talking $2500 (plus surge protectors). There is a lot of work involved.

[ijusluvit]

Originally Posted by SteveFromNY

$600-$700 is way low of an estimate. Depending on the house, you are talking $2500 (plus surge protectors). There is a lot of work involved.

I suggest you do lots of research and shop around. I did and looked at all of the specs for number of rods, size and type of cable, type, size and depth of ground stakes, installation techniques, etc. There is quite a lot to it, and far too detailed to report at the moment. My 1600 sq.ft. CYV was done for under $1000 and my neighbor's smaller house for less than that. This did not include surge protectors.

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by ijusluvit

I suggest you do lots of research and shop around. I did and looked at all of the specs for number of rods, size and type of cable, type, size and depth of ground stakes, installation techniques, etc. There is quite a lot to it, and far too detailed to report at the moment. My 1600 sq.ft. CYV was done for under $1000 and my neighbor's smaller house for less than that. This did not include surge protectors.

I did investigate and shop around, and my installation was more. It includes quite a few "air terminals" as the rods are known, as well as the grounding of the gas line and meter. All of the grounds run through the eaves of the house. Nothing touches the gutters, a huge mistake in an installation. It is a very professional job. It is not the kind of work where I would search for the least cost provider. I had recommendations from friends, did research, then made my decision. I have a Gardenia and it cost $2500 without the surge protection.

[Fourpar]

Originally Posted by SteveFromNY

I did investigate and shop around, and my installation was more. It includes quite a few "air terminals" as the rods are known, as well as the grounding of the gas line and meter. All of the grounds run through the eaves of the house. Nothing touches the gutters, a huge mistake in an installation. It is a very professional job. It is not the kind of work where I would search for the least cost provider. I had recommendations from friends, did research, then made my decision. I have a Gardenia and it cost $2500 without the surge protection.

Many thanks to all for their input. I just got off the phone with SECO and they are going to install the surge protector... in about 3 weeks. Big backlog, probably due to all the activity lately!

Next step is the LPS, and I sure appreciate Steve's comments and the benefit of your research. I have noticed quite a few installations lately, and a lot of them have the cables draped over rain gutters. That doesn't sound smart to me either!

Thanks again,

[westom]

Originally Posted by Fourpar

Many thanks to all for their input. I just got off the phone with SECO and they are going to install the surge protector... in about 3 weeks. Big backlog, probably due to all the activity lately!

Learn why it works and why other recommendations are bogus.

Lightning seeks earth ground. It finds earth through something conductive - ie wooden church steeple. How did Franklin block or stop surges? He did not. Franklin simply gave the surge a more conductive path to earth. He diverted the surge on a path that creates near zero voltage. 20,000 amps times near zero voltage means near zero energy - no damage.

Lightning seeks earth ground. If finds earth destructively through household appliances. Lightning striking utility wires down the street are a direct strike to your appliances. How does every high reliability facility suffer even 100 surges with each storm - and no damage. They simply gave the surge a more conductive path to earth. They diverted the surge on a path that creates near zero voltage - your building's single point earth ground. A surge current that does not enter the building does not go hunting for earth, destructively, via appliances.

Direct lightning strikes with no damage has been routine for over 100 years. Nothing 'plug-in' accomplishes that. Surge energy connected to earth before it can enter the building means protection already inside every appliance is not overwhelmed. Anything that a plug-in solution might accomplish is already inside appliances.

No protector stops what three miles of sky could not. That is how the UPS is promoted. Those few hundred joules in a UPS or power strip do not absorb surges that are hundreds of thousands of volts. And yet that is what an overwhelming majority will claim because advertising and retail salesmen are so good.

That meter protector earths surges on AC mains. But only if your earthing connection meets critical parameters such as short, a single point ground, ground wire separated from all non-grounding wires, etc. The electric company will provide a protector. But you are responsible for the only thing that makes the protector effective - single point earth ground.

Every wire in every cable must connect short, no sharp bends, no splices, etc to the same earth ground before entering the building. Telephone lines have had that 'whole house' protector for generations. But it too is only as effective as your earthing. Cable TV needs no protector. It must drop down to make that very short wire connection to earth before entering the building. But again, energy absorbed harmlessly in earth need not go hunting for earth via your appliances.

Long before they install the protector, first, how good is your earthing? Is it connected across the basement to a cold water pipe? Then the earthing is too long and has other problems - is not a sufficient earth ground. Does the ground wire from your breaker box to earth go up over the foundation and down to an earthing electrode? Then protection has been compromised. Too many sharp wire bends. Wire too long. Wire bundled with other non-grounding wires. Again, the protector will only be as effective as your earth ground.

Is your soil sandy? Then a few ground rods probably are not sufficient. Your earthing electrode - the single point earth ground - must be enhanced or expanded. Better builders install the surge protection when they pour the footings - Ufer grounds. Why? Protection is always about the earthing.

One couple had multiple lightning strikes to a bathroom wall. They installed lightning rods (the Ben Franklin type - not the scam ESE devices). Lightning again struck the bathroom wall. Lightning rods were connected to eight foot ground rods in sand. The better connection to earth was via bathroom plumbing to more conductive and deeper limestone. Again, protection was only as good as its earthing. And only you are responsible for that earthing. Either you upgrade it or hire an agent (ie electrician) to do the work.

So, where is this UPS 'less than 10 foot' connection to earth? Does not exist. Where is the manufacturer numeric spec that lists protection from each type of surge. No plug-in UPS makes that claim. Most will recommend the UPS because they saw the phrase 'Surge protection' in the sales brochure. But that near zero protection is not even listed in numbers. They know a majority here will only see subjective claims. They know eyes will glaze over as soon as the numbers appear. They know a majority will believe sales propaganda and ignore even what Ben Franklin demonstrated in 1752.

There it is. How your telco has maybe 100 surges with every thunderstorm. Connected to overhead wires all over town, they never have computer damage. They do not waste money on plug-in protectors. They fix or upgrade their earthing. And they only use protectors with that short connection to earth. To make protection even better, they want protector separated from electronics - up to 50 meters. Why do I cite what works AND provide so many numbers? Did this stuff decades ago. Am not educated by retail store propaganda. Instead learned important number such as wire impedance.

Your protectors will only be as effective as the earth ground - which you must provide.