Grounding and Surge Protection

The world's first UL Certified ESE air terminal

The world's first ESE air terminal certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to fully conform to NF C 17-102 Annex C testing. The Prevectron 3® has successfully been subjected to the full sequence of tests prescribed in international standard UNE 21-186.

The world's first modular ESE air terminal

The world's first modular ESE air terminal is a major step in lightning protection system maintenance. Each circuit is built and assembled separately. This unique modular design is superior to series circuitry.

Optimum Streamer Development

The NF C 17 102 Standard requires that the average values for time to break down and the standard deviation of those values be recorded calculated and compared. The standard deviation for an ESE terminal must be a minimum of 20% lower than a simple air terminal in order to comply with the standard.
The patented OptiMax technology neutralizes space charge formation at the tip of the air terminal prior to triggering the upward streamer. The Prevectron 3 S60 utilizing OptiMax technology provides standard deviation that is 60% lower than a standard air terminal (40% lower than the NF C 17-102 requirements). This 60% reduction in the standard deviation provides a more reliable streamer development under real lightning conditions for more reliable protection.

A moving thunderstorm gathers a pool of positively charged particles along the ground that travel with the storm.  As the differences in charge continue to increase, positively charged particles rise up taller objects such as trees, houses, and telephone poles.

 
The negatively charged area in the storm will send out a charge toward the ground called a stepped or downward leader.  When the downward leader gets close to the ground it is attracted by positively charged objects and a channel develops.  You see the electrical transfer in this channel as lightning.  There may be several return strokes of electricity within the established channel that is seen as flickering lightning.

The best lightning protection system will produce an upward leader that is stronger than other nearby objects at an optimum time. 

The lightning protection system must conduct the lightning discharge through a continuous low impedance path to ground. 

• The Prevectron has undergone extensive testing.
• The Prevectron can be designed to all applicable installation standards

• French Standard NF C 17-102
• Spain's Standard U N E 21186
• Yugoslavian Standard JUS N.B4.810
• Slovakian Standard STN 34-1391
• Romanian Standard I-20
• Argentina IRAM 2426
• Macedonia MKS N.B4 810
• Portugal NP 4426

• Fewer Prevectrons are required which means minimal roof penetrations and less roof mounted equipment.   A Franklin system will basically be destroyed during 
  re-roofingwhere a Prevectron system requires little or no displacement and may remain in service.
• The Prevectron has 95% fewer parts than a Franklin system that can be disconnected, removed, or damaged by HVAC, window washers, roofers, or other maintenance personnel.
• Prevectron installations eliminate the OSHA recognized risk of impalement posed by the pointed roof mounted lightning rod.
• 5 year full replacement warranty.

The Prevectron has been tested in the French Electricity Board's top high voltage laboratory. Other tests have been conducted at the CEDIVER High Voltage Laboratory in Bazett and at the University of Lovain-La-Neuve in Belgium.

Field testing of the Prevectron has been conducted at sites all over the world.  Field tests are an extremely valuable component in the continued evaluation of the Prevectron.  In the various campaigns high speed data acquisition and recording equipment have been used to gain knowledge of the precursory steps to a lightning discharge.  In particular, testing has focused on the few dozen microseconds just before the connection of the downward stepped leader and the upward leader from objects on the ground.  The Prevectron is by far the most scientifically tested lightning protection product available today.  

No other air terminal has more testing

Risk Assessment 

Lightning risk assessment software utilizes such variables as building size, construction, proximity to other structures, contents, and local lightning density to determine the required protection levels. 

Protection Simulation Software

The obtained results from the risk assessment software can then be entered into a simulation program to determine the type of Prevectron to use along with its location. 

Prevectron System Details

Detail drawings of supporting masts, down conductors, ground systems, and bonding applications for the Prevectron 4 Electronically Activated Streamer Emission (EASE) lightning protection system.  Details are available in AutoCAD and Adobe Acrobat formats 

Air Terminals
Tester
Strike Counter
Masts
Mounting Bases
Mounting Hardware
Conductor
Connectors
Bonding
Grounding