Nimbus Installation Guide

Nimbus Installation Guide

Installing the Nimbus
Guideline diagram with the main elements required in a lightning rod installation.

is BU S NIM TO Y EAS ALL INST

1 CAPTURE HEAD
Equipment responsible for sending an upward tracer (leader) that ionises the air and leads to the formation of a preferential path for lightning discharge, increasing the coverage radius with respect to a conventional lightning rod. It must be fitted 2 m higher than any other part of the installation.

7 CABLE BRACKET
For fixing the down-conductor. Whichever bracket is used, fixings are calculated using 3 points per metre as a reference.They must not be in direct contact with inflammable materials.

CAPTURE HEAD

2 ADAPTING PIECE
The adaptor is used to fix the capture head to the mast, thereby guaranteeing the electrical continuity between the head and the down-conductor.

ADAPTING PIECE

2 3 4

8 DISCHARGE COUNTER
The counter indicates the number of strikes received by the LPS. It must be placed on the down-conductor above the control joint and, in all cases, 2 m above the ground. Its use is not obligatory but is highly recommended by NFC 17102, NP4426 and UNE 21186 standards.

MAST ANTENNA MAST PROTECTOR

3 MAST
Extendible element that provides the height the lightning conductors capture head requires to cover the operational radius of the zone to be protected. Mast is normally made up of 2 or 3 pieces, depending on its height.

MAST FIXATION

4 ANTENNA MAST PROTECTOR

This element is used to equipotentialize LPS and antenna at the moment of the lightning strike. The antenna is insulated under normal conditions.

9 CONNECTING SLEEVE
The connecting sleeve allow the earth connection to be disconnected in order to measure the resistance.

DOWN CONDUCTOR

5 MAST FIXATION
Element that fixes the mast to the structure. There are different types of fixtures.

10 PROTECTION PIPE
2 m galvanised iron pipe to protect the down-conductor from mechanical impacts.

CABLE BRACKET

6 DOWN CONDUCTOR
Element that conducts the lightnings current in a controlled manner to the ground. Conductors can be of different types and materials. Copper cables must have a minimum cross section of 50 mm2 and copper tape must be minimum 30 x 2 mm. Each lightning rod must have at least one down-conductor, except in the following cases: Structures higher than 28 m. Structures whose horizontal down-conductor projection exceeds their vertical projection. Path must be as straight as possible using the shor test route, avoiding sharp L-bends or U-bends and skir ting around cornices or elevations, a rise of a maximum of 40 cm being admissible to pass an elevation with a slope no greater than 45. Coverage radiuses will be no less than 20 cm. Down-conductor must be selected to avoid crossing or proximity to electrical or signal lines. Where this is not possible, the line must be placed inside a metal shield protruding 1 m on each side of the crossover.

11 EARTH CONNECTION
AND EQUIPOTENTIAL BONDING
Various configurations are possible for the earth connection, depending on the construction and materials used. We recommend joining the lightning rods earth connection and all nearby metal masses to the existing earthing system, in order to guarantee good equipotential bonding and avoid the production of sparks as step voltages.

DISCHARGE COUNTER

CONNECTING SLEEVE

PROTECTION PIPE 10

EARTH CONNECTION 11 AND EQUIPOTENTIAL BONDING

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