Commercial Flag Poles

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north star

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I have a Commercial application with a 40 ft. aluminum flag
pole being installed.........Nothing will be attached to the
flagpole itself, except a halyard [ i.e. - the rope ] for raising
and lowering the flag.

Will this flag pole be required to be grounded?........The
"below grade" foundation will not have any steel in it, but
will be filled with sand in to a cylindrical tube with a square
steel base.

NFPA 780, 2011 Edition, Section 4.2.2.3 says for aluminum
surfaces are not to come in to contact with copper, and
vice versa..........Section 5.4 addresses Metal Towers and
Tanks........Is a single flag pole considered a Tower?

In a preliminary search of this topic on the internet, I came
across something called a "PreVectron 4 Ease" thingy.
Allegedly, there are capacitors stored in something at the
top of the flag pole........When a storm is approaching,
...supposedly the capacitors are gathering energy from
the surrounding electrical fields, ...storing it and will release
this "stored energy" to create an "upward [ electrical ]
leader, that will connect with a naturally occurring lightning
"down leader", and then direct that charge; internally in
the flag pole, to the earth........See this link:
http://www.flagpole-installation.com/

Is this type of flag pole required to be grounded in some
manner?.......If so, what code sections [ from which code] are
applicable?

Thanks!


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N

north star

Senior Member
Location
inside Area 51
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Perhaps I should reduce the wording of my question.
Per the NEC or NFPA 780, is lightning protection required
of an all aluminum flag pole with no attachments /
components or electrical systems?

Thanks!

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N

north star

Senior Member
Location
inside Area 51
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We have not adopted the NFPA 780 Standard, however, we
DO have it in our NFPA library.........The " 780 " WAS
referenced in a current Commercial project in our jurisdiction.
Mainly, I am looking for guidance from the esteemed forum
members regarding any type of grounding issues / concerns
for this 40 ft. tall lightning rod. :?

What say ye... ?

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N

north star

Senior Member
Location
inside Area 51
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Thanks " mcnut " for the input!......There is no Lightning Protection
System [ LPS ] planned for this project.......The building; a new
restaraunt, has a single CEE installed, but nothing planned for this
single flag pole.

The "GC-of-record" has asked me what the AHJ wants.......Even
the "electrical contractor-of-record" does not know what to do.
The "GC-of-record" stated that they [ typically ] do not do anything
to these types of flag pole installs........I'm not convinced of this
statement! :blink:

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N

north star

Senior Member
Location
inside Area 51
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In reading further [ in NFPA 780 ], Chapter 5, Section 5.2 is for Masts,
Spires, Flagpoles.......This is the section that I have been seeking........This
will provide me with the requirements that I can show to / share with the
"GC-of-record".

Thank you all for your input! :thumbsup:

FWIW, Chapter 5, Section 5.2 DOES require these "slender structures"
to be grounded.

Next question, ...what size of GEC is required?.....References please!

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