About Me: I have installed Lightning Rods since 1972 in the Maryland/PA/DE/NJ area’s.  I am now retired (working FULL TIME) in Arizona near Phoenix.  Although I don’t climb roof’s any more, I now make or have made the many parts that you see here. (and many more not shown).  I hope that you like my  LIGHTNING ROD STUFF - Thanks for Looking. All Images are Copyrighted and are my exclusive property —NO REPRODUCTION OF IMAGES WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION. Phone: 623-518-6170 or Cell: 602-647-0849
Text Box: SHIPPING, ORDERING & INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS Order by Phone; 623-518-6170—Cell:602-647-0849 or Email; GILBERTPAQ@COX.NET Orders usually within 1to3 days.—Phone your order to 623-518-6170 Pay with VISA/MC/Discover. You may also order through Pay Pal.—On orders over $100.00 *Shipping is 15 percent of the first $100.00 plus 5% of the balance over $100.00—(Example: A $250.00 order would cost $22.50) *Reduced shipping charges may apply on larger quantities of small/light items. - $6.00 minimum or Actual cost on orders under $100.00. — Rates are to lower 48 states. Or Mail Payment with Order to; Lightning Rod Stuff, P.O. Box 44—Youngtown, AZ 85363 REFUNDS are less shipping charges. A 10% Restocking Fee may apply depending on individual circumstances. NO RETURNS on Cable and custom made items. —Returns are at buyers expense and must be returned within 15 days.—No Returns without prior authorization by calling 623-518-6170 - Thank You. Read Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) at bottom of this Page

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):

1– What were the Glass Balls for? Over 100 years ago glass balls were introduced to lightning rods as a decoration. They serve no function. Many people add them to lightning rods for fancy roof ornamentation. Contrary to belief the glass balls do not break when the rod is struck by Lightning but I am sure that it has happened occasionally.

2– How many Rods do I need to protect my building and how large of an area does a lightning rod protect? Please refer to the basic diagrams above and on page 4 for examples. You are welcome to call with your questions. 623-518-6170

3– I have a bare metal roof, what materials can I use? Copper will stain and cause corrosion to Aluminum and Galvanized steel. Therefore DO NOT attach copper materials to these surfaces and DO NOT attach Aluminum to Copper for the same reason. In some cases, you can use Tinned (lead coated) Copper cable (or wire) on some metal surfaces. If you do need to connect copper to Aluminum, we have special Bi-Metal connectors (#CA3) for that purpose.

4– I have a Flat Roof and I don’t want to use Nails or Screws? Penetrations should NOT be made on commercial type flat roofs. We have adhesive equipment specifically made for that purpose, also special connectors for metal roof’s.

5– Will Aluminum Wire/Cable and Rods work as well as Copper? YES! as long as the installation rules are followed. Certainly Copper is a better conductor than aluminum, but the Aluminum is larger than  copper therefore making up for it’s lack of conductivity. But I heard that electrical aluminum wiring is house’s could be dangerous? That is true for home electrical wiring. The aluminum deteriorated from the stress of the continual flow of current in the splices. That is not a problem for aluminum Lightning Rod’s. There is never any current flowing through it except for that occasional lightning strike, therefore there is no stress on the wiring. Aluminum Lightning Rods and Wire are perfectly safe and effective.

6-Won’t the cable get hot and burn my roof? NO! - The specially braided cable does not get hot from Lightning. A correctly grounded braided wire of adequate size provides a low resistance path to ground. If there is No Resistance, Then there is No Heat. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says that you can install Lightning Protection materials on or through wood and most other building materials. The key here is to use the specially Braided Wire that is specifically designed for Lightning Protection. Never use wire that is designed for regular electrical power. (See FAQ #13 below).

7– I have tall trees around my house, won’t the Lightning hit the tree first? It might hit the tree but with all of the metal, appliances, water pipes and electric wires that are in the house, lightning could flash over to the house on it’s way down the tree. A tree is NOT a substitute for Lightning Protection.

8– I live in a low lying area, do I still need Lightning Protection: If the Lightning discharge is above your house and if it is a shorter distance for the lightning to travel to your house than to nearby higher objects, then you will get struck. Your home which contains much metal and electrical wiring is usually a much better target for lightning than the higher terrain and tree’s. With few exceptions, most outdoor area’s are not immune from Lightning Strike’s.

9– Is it true that Lightning Rods attract Lightning? NO! IT IS NOT. Lightning rods DO NOT attract lightning, however, since the rods are placed at the high points on roof’s and when correctly grounded, lightning will strike the rod(s). If lightning were going to strike your home, it would strike whether the rods are there or not. An ungrounded Lightning Rod is no different than any other metal object on your roof such as metal vents, pipes, antenna’s, weathervanes, etc.

10- My Electrician say’s Lightning Rod’s don’t work? Lightning Rods are installed on; State Farm Insurance headquarters, The White House, Space Shuttle complex, and millions of other commercial buildings and houses around the world plus on the thousands of my own customers including: Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant, U.S.Army,Navy,Air Force, Bank of America, etc.—Lightning Rods work by two simple laws of Physics; (1) They Provide “THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE” and (2) They Provide “THE SHORTEST PATH TO GROUND”. - Lightning reacts quite differently than the low voltages in your home. Installation of Lightning Rods is not a part of the Electricians Code (NEC). Lightning Protection is covered under a separate code of the National Fire Protection Association NFPA-780 and the UL Standard UL96A.

11– Someone I knew had Lightning Rods and had damage to; TV and Appliances. WHY? Lightning Rods protect from a Direct Lightning Strike. Damage inside the house is sometimes due from Lightning entering through the Electric, TV, Phone wires. A power pole can get struck (even mile’s away) and the current will follow the (above or underground) wires into the house and destroy electrical equipment. The Rods on the roof have nothing to do with that. That is why you should also install SURGE ARRESTERS on electric wires entering the house. Click for info., on ARRESTERS.

12- I heard that it takes a specialist to install lightning rods? If you use the correct materials, study the instructions and take safety precautions, then there is no reason why you can’t do it yourself. A copy of installation instructions are available for $12.00 postage paid.

13- Can’t I use my own electrical wire and parts for my Lightning Rods? Electrical equipment is not designed to handle the immense power of lightning. If you are going to Install Lightning Rods, DO IT RIGHT and use the right equipment and braided cable that is designed especially for Lightning Protection. (See FAQ #17 below).

14—Will a single Lightning Rod on the highest point of my roof protect my house? Only if it is a very small house. Otherwise it may provide only partial protection, - Lightning has many fingers and is all over the place and to intercept all of them Lightning Rods must be installed on all of the high points, chimneys and ridges of your roof per proven methods as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). (See FAQ #15 below)

15 - I heard that a partial installation may be dangerous? For maximum effectiveness we do recommend installing a complete system per UL and the NFPA code. However, the industry promotes that “Lightning Rods do NOT attract Lightning”. In the least, if struck, the partial system would conduct some of the current to ground. A correctly grounded partial installation is better than nothing but it IS NOT complete protection.

16– I thought that my house was grounded when it was built: Yes it is grounded, but mainly to provide electric power. The electric ground rod is of little help if Lightning Strikes your roof and Lightning has to travel down through your house to get to the “ground”. - Lightning Rods and Heavy Braided wire correctly Grounded is the only way to protect the house.

17– Technical facts: Lightning Travels on the surface of the Lightning Rods and cable. The many strands in the specially designed braided cable adds greatly to it’s surface area. The BRAIDING in the Lightning Rod cable is very important. It has the effect of cancelling the Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP). As current travels down each braided strand of wire and since the strands “cris-cross” each other, and “like charges repel”. The braided cable has the effect of cancelling the EMP as compared to regular electrical wire. The EMP around regular wire can couple with wires under roof and behind walls and can transfer very high voltages into the electrical wiring. EXCEPTION: On structural steel buildings and below ground, un stranded wire of sufficient size is ok since the EMP will be absorbed by the steel in the structure and in the earth.

 

 

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See Installation Details ABOVE and on Wire Parts & Grounding page.

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1996—That’s me at 56 on left in Baltimore before I retired. That’s my older brother on Right rigging me up to go down the side of the building at right to attach the Lightning Cables down to ground. I had to attach 7 cables and go down in 7 different locations around this building. (I trust only my brother for this job).

The heavy Cables have to be attached every three feet all the way down to ground.. Each of the attachments had to be drilled into the concrete and then attached with lead anchors. The cable is then connected to buried ground rod’s in the earth. This building is 240 feet tall and is located in Baltimore city.

Going up Steeple to attach the Lightning Rod to the cross. This Steeple  is 155’ Tall and is located in Havre de Grace, Maryland by the Chesapeake Bay. The Steeple required two separate cables to be run from the cross down to ground.

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