Lightning Arrestor

westbranch · November 2007

found this item while surfing. Anyone familiar with these?
Supposed to connect to the CC?? Dont see how that would protect it?? Must have to operate in miliseconds?

"DELTA LA 302 DC Lightning Protection

Silicon Oxide Arrestor for Photovoltaic and Wind Power

The basic design of the DELTA silicon oxide varistor (SOV) arrestor is a pair of metal electrodes separated by a silicon oxide compound. Under normal conditions, the silicon oxide is a good insulator so that no line current flows between the electrodes to ground. When an excessively high voltage occurs on the electrodes, the high energy electrical field ionizes the silicon oxide, changing it from a compound to silicon separate from oxygen. Since the silicon ion is a good conductor, the high energy current is conducted to ground. When the voltage falls toward normal, the silicon and oxygen recombine, forming silicon oxide and shutting off the conduction.

The reason the DELTA silicon oxide varistor (SOV) design works so much more effectively is that there is no series resistor to limit the flow of current. Since the DELTA silicon oxide varistor (SOV) arrestor needs no resistor, it can conduct more current much faster.

The LA 302 DC model is for use on DC systems, maximum voltage 500V"
from web link

Cheers
Eric

niel · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

well i don't have one myself, but it is much like a bigger version of the movs you find in many surge protection power strips. they can help, but do know that a big enough surge can cause movs and sovs to explode making it important that they not be mounted in a way as to pose a shrapnel hazard to people or equipment. the movs in a power strip will not have enough force to go through the casing on most power strips.

System2 · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

westbranch wrote: »

found this item while surfing. Anyone familiar with these?
Supposed to connect to the CC?? Dont see how that would protect it?? Must have to operate in miliseconds?

"DELTA LA 302 DC Lightning Protection

Silicon Oxide Arrestor for Photovoltaic and Wind Power

The basic design of the DELTA silicon oxide varistor (SOV) arrestor is a pair of metal electrodes separated by a silicon oxide compound. Under normal conditions, the silicon oxide is a good insulator so that no line current flows between the electrodes to ground. When an excessively high voltage occurs on the electrodes, the high energy electrical field ionizes the silicon oxide, changing it from a compound to silicon separate from oxygen. Since the silicon ion is a good conductor, the high energy current is conducted to ground. When the voltage falls toward normal, the silicon and oxygen recombine, forming silicon oxide and shutting off the conduction.

The reason the DELTA silicon oxide varistor (SOV) design works so much more effectively is that there is no series resistor to limit the flow of current. Since the DELTA silicon oxide varistor (SOV) arrestor needs no resistor, it can conduct more current much faster.

The LA 302 DC model is for use on DC systems, maximum voltage 500V"
from web link

Cheers
Eric

Did you notice that my system has a Delta Lightening Protector???
... but not the DC one.

System2 · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

This is what the ad blurb in the catalog said,

Here is a simple, effective protection that can be used on any PV, wind, or hydro system up to 300 volts DC. These high-capacity silicon oxide arrestors will absorb multiple strikes until their capacity is reached and they rupture, indicating need for replacement. Three-wire connection, positive, negative, and ground, can be done at any convenient point in the system. The AC unit is identical operation and capacity; only the wire color codes vary. The 4-wire unit is for wind turbines with a 3-phase output (Whisper and Bergey turbines). USA.

What's the use of taking care when the installer turns out to be such a hapless choice?

n3qik · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

I have that Delta lighting protector. Lighting protection is about limiting your losses NOT protection. This will only protect a near strike. If you get a direct strike this is useless and there will be major damage. My panels are on my shed, 120' from the house. That is where the Delta is also. My planning is when a direct strike hits it will limit all of the damage to the shed.

System2 · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

n3qik wrote: »

I have that Delta lighting protector. Lighting protection is about limiting your losses NOT protection. This will only protect a near strike. If you get a direct strike this is useless and there will be major damage. My panels are on my shed, 120' from the house. That is where the Delta is also. My planning is when a direct strike hits it will limit all of the damage to the shed.

I must say, I didn't understand them. But I also have two lightening rods. But the one that the negligent and incompetent installer put in is done so that I think it may be dangerous. I read an article last summer about some people being killed when lightening struck and there was a puddle...

I've got to try to relax. This is so stressful to not have enough electric to even watch telly, when I should have it but the array was placed wrong.

nigtomdaw · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

Consider This , Im sorry about your problems in your life, Ive read your site, everyone seems to do you a disservice, but if you took charge more you might have control more , I have healthy nails usually covered in dirt from a hard days work, I was a newbe 2 years ago I read, I read , I read to be informed of best choices, Ive made mistakes and learnt from them, but to go through life just laying blame is to go through life being led by others. You have the biggest encloypedia in the world the internet but reading it after you have made your choices is like not reading it at all. This is a fantastic site but they cant live your life,and why would they, I wish u well !

Nigel UK Citizen Spanish resident !

System2 · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

nigtomdaw wrote: »

Consider This , Im sorry about your problems in your life, Ive read your site, everyone seems to do you a disservice, but if you took charge more you might have control more , I have healthy nails usually covered in dirt from a hard days work, I was a newbe 2 years ago I read, I read , I read to be informed of best choices, Ive made mistakes and learnt from them, but to go through life just laying blame is to go through life being led by others. You have the biggest encloypedia in the world the internet but reading it after you have made your choices is like not reading it at all. This is a fantastic site but they cant live your life,and why would they, I wish u well !

Nigel UK Citizen Spanish resident !

Oh, give it a rest. (editted by niel for politics and religious content)

Good grief.

How was I supposed to know there was a privy pit? No one knew but the developer and his workers.

And now that I have some brain injury my life is vastly different.
(editted by niel for religious content and flaming)

nigtomdaw · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

Enough said....... Condider This, if you are not able to help your self how can you help others, whos Bush, Ive heard of Blair and Brown, but NAWS isnt in to politics niether am I ,,,,,I wish u well, Nigel

System2 · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

nigtomdaw wrote: »

Enough said....... Condider This, if you are not able to help your self how can you help others, whos Bush, Ive heard of Blair and Brown, but NAWS isnt in to politics niether am I ,,,,,I wish u well, Nigel

I bet, you sure sound like you're laying it on thick and deep,

I hope that when you're my age you get to deal with a few of these things and then have some smart alecs tell you how much you're failing to do it as well as them.

I worked 16 hour days, 7 days a week for months on end to buy my condo.

and you try to imply that you with your dirty hands work and I don't.,

(editted by niel for religious content and flaming)

nigtomdaw · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

West Branch I have a LA302DC fitted to both my Xantrex C40 units and a LA302R in my main breaker box AC side. I also intend to fit a LA302R to my disconnect between my genny and inverter. Why I chose Delta units was from reading 3 years of home power magazine and people with lightning problems turning to Delta LA and problems being solved ! They are probably not the full solution but at 90% Ill give them a go, they dont cost the earth . Do your own research and make your own decision I did and after 14 months off grid nothing has frid yet, I live in a lightning prone area, (editted by niel):p

System2 · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

nigtomdaw wrote: »

West Branch I have a LA302DC fitted to both my Xantrex C40 units and a LA302R in my main breaker box AC side. I also intend to fit a LA302R to my disconnect between my genny and inverter. Why I chose Delta units was from reading 3 years of home power magazine and people with lightning problems turning to Delta LA and problems being solved ! They are probably not the full solution but at 90% Ill give them a go, they dont cost the earth . Do your own research and make your own decision I did and after 14 months off grid nothing has frid yet, I live in a lightning prone area,

If you'd read my site without first wanting to criticize you would have seen that I used HomePower for my battery box and pole top installation. Only then I hired the idiot who was off partying or something instead of being on the job.

You are tiresome and of no value and I'm clicking the thing to stop being notified on this thread.

When you talk about taking responsiblity, I did not rent my condo for two years when it was undetermined whether there was another pit. I took the loss rather than hurt someone else. The developer would have rented it and then made statements like yours... it is just so tiresome this lack of ethics and moral fiber.

(editted by niel) Good grief!

System2 · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

As an aside, the installer had not read the Home Power article on pole top installations, and so I gave it to him.
(editted by niel)

As I said, Good grief!

Nor had he read their battery box piece, but I had. I had my battery box built by someone else, using Home Power as the reference material.

(editted by niel)

Very boring.

nigtomdaw · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

Westbranch I hoped I helped,

Consider This,

(editted by niel) sorry, inverters , solar panels , water pumps, charge controllers, mppt, batteries, wiring, battery monitors,desulphators . LA units, dc disconnects, fuses, MPPT issues , Wind Turbines, products coming to market and new technolgy are what this forum is about, (editted by niel) Open the door the sun is shining !:cool:

nigtomdaw · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

(editted by niel) Consider This ? time for me to go quietly I will not respond to anymore of these posts. Nigtomdaw !

System2 · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

(editted by niel)

Sorry, that's not what this form is about, so I think it's time this thread was locked, and or deleted and the offending member be blocked from posting any more trash talk.
Wayne

niel · November 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

I did not want to delete the entire thread, but i did do some editting as you may have noted. personnal opinions and other nonsense can be sent via a pm, but the name calling and political/religious injections should not be placed onto this forum. responces to these kinds of posts can further instigate the matter and i ask that you report such posts rather than add fuel to the fire.

System2 · December 2007

Re: Lightning Arrestor

Greetings:

The Delta will probably work. But you should install a big, long and nice lightning rod (a metal rod, usually copper, attached to the ground via a very thick cable). Please make it sure that the ground in which the cable wll be grounded is always wet.

Lightning Arrestor

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