BESS Lightning Protection

[an_kore]

I am currently working on a BESS project and recently owner brought a point from agreement that we need to perform lightning protection assessment and provide a protection scheme and design. I have not heard of BESS having a lightning protection system installed. Does anyone here have experience with this? Is it required and if so, please refer to the code (NFPAP/NEC).

Thank you

 

[EC Dan]

It's generally not required, but if the owner is requesting it then that's their prerogative. You can start with NFPA 780 but you really should contract with specialists that deal with designing lightning protection systems.

 

[JoeStillman]

NFPA 780 has guidelines for an assessment.

 

[an_kore]

We were trying to come up with an approach that would allow us to move forward without a lightning protection assessment and installation. On my last BESS project, this point briefly came up but then it was quickly determined that electrical systems overall are in an enclosed container and the container is grounded to the ground grid and we did not need an LPS.

Thank you for your responses.

 

[d0nut]

NFPA 780 has guidelines for an assessment.

There are guidelines in NFPA 780, but they always result in recommending a lighting protection system. If you back calculate the size of a building to stay below the recommendation for a lighting protection system, it ends up about the size of an outhouse.

 

[gadfly56]

There are guidelines in NFPA 780, but they always result in recommending a lighting protection system. If you back calculate the size of a building to stay below the recommendation for a lighting protection system, it ends up about the size of an outhouse.

Well, that's not at all self-serving, now is it?

 

[ron]

Once you look at NFPA 780, if the assessment recommends protection be provided, then consider the BESS enclosure itself might be considered the main conductor if it is 3/16" thick and electrically continuous.

4.19.1 General.
The metal framework of a structure shall be permitted to be utilized as the main conductor of a lightning protection system if it is
equal to or greater than 3⁄16 in. (4.8 mm) in thickness and is electrically continuous, or it is made electrically continuous by methods
specified in 4.19.3.

 

[petersonra]

it was quickly determined that electrical systems overall are in an enclosed container and the container is grounded to the ground grid and we did not need an LPS.

Just curious who it was that made this determination. Was it someone qualified to make such a determination?