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PREVECTRON BROCHURE - 18716 Real lightning condition test campaigns

The decision to go ahead with real lightning tests was based on a simple premise: laboratorytesting cannot reproduce the complete parameters and constraints of a real lightning discharge. In addition to the extensive tests carried out in the laboratory in pursuance of French Standard NFC 17-102, INDELEC is one of the only lightning rod manufacturers to actively pursue real-life testing.The test campaigns were originally developed in close cooperation with a team of engi-neers from the Atomic Energy Commission (C.E.A.) in Grenoble. As work progressed, other companies, universities and scientists joined in the test campaigns, providing a wealth of experience in the field of lightning phenomena.In order to gather as many data as possible, the tests were performed in America, Europe andAsia, with each site offering very different lightning conditions. The first tests were carried out in 1993 at Camp Blanding in Florida, since when experimentation has moved on to Cachoeira Paulista in Brazil and Nadachi in Japan. Each test campaign has provided invaluable results, including:• highlighting the performance of the PREVECTRON
Copyright Indelec / INPE ® 2 through measuring and comparingelectrical activity at the tips of various lightning rods;• operation of the PREVECTRON
® 2’s triggering system;• confirmation of the PREVECTRON
® 2’s robust design by exposing it to repeated strikes;• total reliability provided by the PREVECTRON
® 2 in a wide range of situations representativeofall types of lightning conditions, including upward & downward lightning strikes andtropical & winter storms.A number of scientific reports have been produced in relation to this research, which has alsoallowed the PREVECTRON
® to be continuously developed from the initial design through tothe latest Millenium model.
Ivoi’Art - Lille - 03 28 52 67 54 France’s leading lightning protection network 61, chemin des Postes - 59500 Douai - FranceTel. +33 327 944 944 - Fax. +33 327 944 955 - e-mail : contact@indelec.com