Chapter 6

Lightning Protection

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Overview
Characteristics of Lightning
Principles of Protection
Precautions for Personnel
Precautions for Electronic Equipment

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Characteristics of
Lightning
Static Electricity
Ultra-High Voltage Generation
The Discharge
Surface Dispersion
Basic Laws of Electricity

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Lightning
Static Electricity
Separation and storage of electrical charge
A spark is an extremely small lightning
discharge

Ultra-High Voltage Generation

Surface of earth is normally negatively
charged
Top of storm clouds are positively charged
Forces nearby earth to become positively
charged

Develops a multimillion-volt potential

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The Discharge
Clouds send negative charged leaders
down
Earth sends positive leaders up
From grounded sharp metal objects

Conducting path when leaders meet

Unidirectional (DC) current flow

Voltage potential 100 to 1,000 million volts
Current range 10,000 to 200,000 amperes
Duration from 1 microsecond to 1 second
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Anatomy of a Lightning
Stroke

Electrons begin
zigzagging
downward in a
forked pattern.
This is the
stepped leader.

As the stepped leader

nears the ground, it
draws a streamer of
positive charge upward.

As the leader and

streamer come together,
a powerful electrical
current begins flowing.

Current begins
the return stroke,
an intense wave
of positive
charge traveling
upward about
60,000 miles per
second.

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Surface Dispersion
Surface dispersion
Main portion of lightning bolt penetrates
earth
Spurs find far-reaching paths along
surface

Surface dispersion is deadly

Stay out of the water
Keep away from trees
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Basic Laws or Electricity

Lightning creates magnetically induced
current in all metal items within its
influence
The longer the wire, greater the current
The closer the strike, greater the current

Any impedance to current flow results in

Build up of high voltage at that location
Resulting in arc-over to reach ground
Ignites flammable material
Vaporizes metal of insufficient cross-section
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Principles of Protection
Cone of Protection
Lightning Protection System
Power Boat Applications
Sail Boat Applications

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Cone of Protection
Lightning rod protects areas within its cone
60 degree cone is 99% effective
45 degree cone is 99.9% effective

Less current flow from sharp pointed tip

More current flow from blunt or ball tip
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Lightning Protection
System
Air Terminal
Discharge Conductor
Water Terminal
Bonding

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Air Terminal
Also known as a Lightning Rod
Traditionally inch copper rod
With sharpened point
Six inches above object to be protected

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Discharge Conductor
Not less than #4 AWG
Uninsulated stranded copper wire

Straight from Air Terminal to Water

Terminal
No sharp bends (bend radius of 1 foot)
Should be run outside of hull

Electrical wiring should be at right angles

#4

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Water Terminal
Also known as a Ground Plate
External to hull
Sailboats use metal keel
Area of one square foot
Not painted

No water film between plate and hull

Use bedding compound

Size: 18 x 6 x

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Bonding (Chapter 2)
Bonding is also for Lightning Protection
Purpose keep all metal surfaces at zero
potential
To prevent electrical shock
To prevent stray current corrosion
To prevent induced potential from lightning strike

Bonding conductor
Cross section of #6 AWG
Strap not less than #20 gauge (0.032 inch thick)
Normally #6 bare copper wire

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Powerboat Application
Fiberglass antennas provide NO protection
Add lightning rod on other side for
protection
e.g. grounded metal whip antenna

Ground the signal mast or Tuna Tower

Need a ground plate
Stay within the cone of protection
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Powerboat Application
Grounded metal whip provides
protection
Grounded HF whip antenna with loading
coil
No protection above loading coil
Unless loading coil bypassed with large
conductor

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Sailboat Application
Metal masts are grounded (bonded)
Add discharge conductor to wood
mast
Shrouds and stays grounded
Keel is ground plate

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Precautions for Personnel

Remain inside the boat
Trust lightning protection system

Stay Out of the Water

Surface dispersion

Avoid contact with metal surfaces

Induced voltage

Handle only one metal control at a

time
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Precautions for Electronics

Before a lightning storm
After a lightning strike

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Before Lightning Storm

Put a loop in cables
Signal
Power

Disconnect ALL unnecessary equipment

before, NOT DURING a lightning storm
All entertainment equipment
Redundant communications and navigation
equipment
Disconnect power cables, if accessible
Disconnect and ground antennas
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Before Lightning Storm 2

If underway, keep operational
One VHF radio
One GPS / chart plotter
Radar, if so equipped

Handhelds stored below

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After Direct Lightning

Strike
First, check crew CPR Required?
Next, check hull repair any new leaks
Then check navigation & safety
equipment
Radios with test call, or with handheld
Magnetic compass
Verify with GPS
Deviation table may no longer be accurate

If fixed VHF Radio or GPS inoperative

Go to backup handheld unit
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Summary
Tremendous energy in lightning strike
Lightning protection
Based on cone of protection
Components

Air terminal
Discharge conductor (#4 AWG stranded)
Water terminal (1 sq ft)

Bond all metal above deck

Before lightning storm

Disconnect all unnecessary equipment

After lightning strike

First check people

Then hull
May have to go to backup electronics
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