lightning protection in rain down spout???

[bobsherwood]

The electrical/mechanical contractor who are building a new building is asking permission to put the lightning protection in a conduit, in the roof rain down spout. ???? I have no idea... does not sound like a good idea to me?
what do you experts think? Thank you in advance.

 

[charlietuna]

We were installing a lightning prtection system on the roof 34 story building and running the copper perimeter cable around the parapit wall. We were half way done and just peeling off the cable as we strapped it along the wall and left the job on Friday. When we returned Monday we found the heavy spool of copper on the other side of the roof with about half the cable pulled off the spool. Apparently the system took a hit over the weekend? None of the down lines were connected to the roof loop. But it told me that the system cables must be secured to function. I'm thinking a hit could rip the gutter off the wall.

 

[ZoneOfProtection]

No, don't run the downleads in the downspouts not even in conduit. It's not allowed by the standards. I can't find it in NFPA 780 but it is addressed in UL96A Paragraph 9.3.5. Course it behind or beside and remember to keep the cable bands atleast an 8" radius and don't deform the cable.

 

[bobsherwood]

Thank you!! I don't do lightning protection but, I just felt it a bad idea all the way around. I was going to put the NEC workmanship code on them to try to stop them. It's good to have the UL96A Paragraph 9.3.5. (Whatever that is??? ) I sent that up to the project manager. Hopefully it will not happen!

 

[ZoneOfProtection]

UL96A = Underwriters Laboratories, Inc "Standard for Installation Requirements for Lightning Protection Systems" I can't quote the paragraph because of their copyright but it basically says the no to downleads in downspouts.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

UL96A = Underwriters Laboratories, Inc "Standard for Installation Requirements for Lightning Protection Systems" I can't quote the paragraph because of their copyright but it basically says the no to downleads in downspouts.

Copyrighted information is qouted all of the time, it is really standard practice for a lot of informational articles.
You will need to qoute it, and provide the reference to it.

 

[weressl]

The electrical/mechanical contractor who are building a new building is asking permission to put the lightning protection in a conduit, in the roof rain down spout. ???? I have no idea... does not sound like a good idea to me?
what do you experts think? Thank you in advance.

It is most likely requested for aesthetic reasons.

Theoretically it would not be the problem if you can fasten it at the required intervals. Perhaps that is why the approval procedure excludes this provision.

There is absolutely no reason why you can't install it directly behind the downspout and bond the downspout to it if it is of conductive material.

 

[LarryFine]

When we returned Monday we found the heavy spool of copper on the other side of the roof with about half the cable pulled off the spool. Apparently the system took a hit over the weekend?

Either that, or someone was attempting to steal it.

 

[mcclary's electrical]

Either that, or someone was attempting to steal it.

my thoughts exactly