Once a lightning protection system is installed, it must be professionally tested at least once a year to ensure it is capable of conducting a potential lightning strike to a safe earthing point. This ensures compliance with BS6651 and I.S. EN 62305.
Powercom Solutions recommend that all lightning conductors and earth grounding installations should be visually inspected and tested at regularly fixed intervals, preferably not exceeding 12 months, although we recommend the interval should be slightly shorter than one year in order to vary the season in which testing takes place over time. This counters the effect of ambient temperature and other seasonal factors on readings from the installation. We record all test conditions and results, and a reminder is sent out before the next test is due, your lightning protection system will last for many years if properly maintained by us.
Powercom Solutions will offer a comprehensive inspection, test and maintenance service for earthing and lightning protection systems. With our fully trained test engineers, you can rest assured that the earthing and lightning protection test and maintenance requirements are in safe hands, and that their system, if maintained correctly, will protect the building and the people and equipment within it, whenever it is called upon to do so.
Each individual earth grounding point and its conductors are electronically tested for resistance to ground; if this reads below an overall maximum of 10 Ohms a Certificate of Compliance is issued.
Power surges or transient overvoltages can be caused as a secondary effect of a lightning strike up to a kilometre away, or by the electrical switching of large inductive loads such as motors and transformers.
During a Lightning Protection Inspection, Powercom Solutions will ascertain the physical condition of your lightning protection system by:
Note: It is an Irish, British and European Standards requirement that all lightning protection systems are tested and inspected annually. The Standard (EN 62305-1:2011 Protection against Lightning: General Principles) states that "tests should be repeated at fixed intervals, preferably not exceeding 12 months; it may be advantageous to choose a period slightly shorter than 12 months in order to vary the seasons in which tests are made". This advice is given because earth resistance readings do not simply increase annually, they will invariably rise in summer months as the sub-strata (earth) dries out.
