[dean830]

Hi Everyone,

I have a acerage where I installed a city style street light. I think it is 28 feet tall and it sits upon a metal 'screw in' base that goes about 8 feet into the ground cased in concrete.

Inside the access panel of the light there is a ground wire and I have connected my underground wire to the pole wire.

My question is: Being that this light pole is probably at increased risk for a lightning strike... how should I connect the ground wire to the light itself?

and should I connect (tie in) the ground wire that is connected to the pole?

Thanks in advance.

Dean

 

[Leah Frances]

What's it made of?

 

[dean830]

What's it made of?

The pole itself is galvanized steel I believe - And bolted to the base.

 

[frenchelectrican]

Normally with the larger luminaires I genrally install a ground rod and use 16mm² ( #6 awg ) conductor from ground rod to the luminaire post then bonded to the grounding { typically } green conductor.

But when you hook up the 16mm² to the post becarefull with drilling you do not need to make any larger than 8mm diamiter hole { IIRC they should be about quarter inch hole } and bolt it and have a brass or copper lug that where the 16mm² conductor will be tied into.

( Unforeteally I don't have the photo how this work but I know I did have the old photo somewhere in my second home in Wisconsin due I am living in France now )

Merci,
Marc

 

[dean830]

Thanks! I will add a ground rod and connect it to the poles ground wire that is already attached. What do you suggest I do with the ground that is coming from my panel? Would lightning voltage feed back through to my panel if connected?

 

[frenchelectrican]

Thanks! I will add a ground rod and connect it to the poles ground wire that is already attached. What do you suggest I do with the ground that is coming from my panel? Would lightning voltage feed back through to my panel if connected?

The ground conductor you will tie them together as I mention about the lug connector and unforetally it will be bonded together and when the lighting strike it will spread out a bit it will feed back thru the panel it the same way if the lighting hit the POCO lines and they will lighting arrestors on the post which it is a common item.

Also I will suggest to get a whole house surge supressor as well that will help to reduce the amout of lighting damage or serious voltage surge to protect the system.

Merci,
Marc

 

[dean830]

Sounds good. Thanks for the comments. I already have a whole house surge protector at the panel so I should be protected to some extent. Can't have too many ground rods!