|
Network reliability is the paramount priority in the telecommunications industry.
Communication interruptions can affect not just Internet and telephone operations but also
critical emergency services such as 911.
Lightning Elimination Systems (LES) designs lightning protection and surge suppression
systems for features specific to telecommunications sites: data lines, transmission facilities and
switching systems as well as antenna towers and their associated radio transmitters, coaxial
cables and tower light systems.
Electrical noise and transients caused by lightning or power switching pose the greatest risk
to telecommunications equipment. Each fault imparts different voltage levels as well as rise
times, and these characteristics do matter when designing a surge suppression system. For
example, PolyPhaser coaxial RF and grounding protection products are designed to overcome
the weaknesses inherent to gas discharge tubes often used on high-frequency lines, which are
capable of handling very high voltages but do not trip very quickly.
Design considerations for telecommunications lightning and surge protection may include: |
- Compliance with the Motorola R56 standard for communication sites (if mandated).
- The use of streamer preventing terminal (SPT) technology, a type of air terminal used for lightning dissipation. The installation of SPTs at the highest point of broadcast towers, antennas, antenna mounts and corners will disperse the buildup of static electricity at these most vulnerable points. SPTs are placed in patterns called arrays: hemisphere arrays are common on poles and towers, while paragon arrays are used on transmission and distribution lines. A tower dissipation system can also include specially designed fiberglass-reinforced poles and downconductors to isolate lightning currents from antenna masts, towers and feeders.
- A focus on the details of grounding system design, including soil resistivity testing, the use of round cable or flat-tape grounding conductors, and effective surge clamping.
- Extensive bonding of roof-mounted equipment as an option in lieu of air terminal installations.
- Surge protection device installations (to absorb and/or transfer voltage transients to ground) at the main service entrance(s), along with any signal and data-line entrances for critical electrical equipment, including coaxial surge suppression and telephone punch down blocks.
|
|
 |
