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Re: [TowerTalk] Static Discharge Porcupines?

To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Static Discharge Porcupines?
From: Patrick Greenlee <patrick_g@windstream.net>
Date: Sat, 8 Aug 2015 11:19:12 -0500
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
My quick literature search showed the US Navy and others tested the ESD (Electrostatic Dissipation devices AKA porcupines) and found them to not reduce the frequency or number of lightning strikes on their test structures.

Seems counter-intuitive to me but I can't argue with their results as I have no experimental results to the contrary. From what I read the porcupines can't handle the currents required to prevent the charge building up and having a strike.

I'm sure folks in the business of selling protective devices put the best face on their product as possible but...

In my early years I was taught that lightning rods were to prevent a strike by draining off the charge preventing a build up sufficient to make for a strike and to be well grounded with low resistance-low inductance paths to ground in case they took a strike. Oh well, empiricism trumps theory and or wishful thinking.

Patrick       NJ5G

On 8/7/2015 10:12 PM, Jim Lux wrote:
On 8/7/15 7:39 PM, Tony wrote:

All:

I came across this video from Nott Ltd that describes how their static
discharge arrays or "Porcupines" help disapate static electricity to
prevent lightning strikes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYILAHIx2lk

I understand they are used in several industries including
communications towers and was wondering if anyone has experience with
them. Installation is easy enough, but I wonder how this work work with
crank-ups?


Totally ineffective.

You're not going to "dissipate" the charge in a thunderstorm.

http://lists.contesting.com/_towertalk/2004-07/msg00971.html has a discussion. Run back and forth in the thread for more discussion.




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