PUBLICA'

STANDARDS

40s. 9 1 -1 02





U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

BUREAU OF STANDARDS

PROTECTION OF

ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS AND EQUIPMENT AGAINST LIGHTNING

PRELIMINARY REPORT OF THE SECTIONAL COMMITTEE

ON PROTECTION AGAINST LIGHTNING

Miscellaneous Publication

of the

Bureau of Standards

No. 95

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

R. P. LAMONT, Secretary BUREAU OF STANDARDS

GEORGE K. BURGESS, Director

MISCELLANEOUS PUBLICATION, BUREAU OF STANDARDS, No. 95 PROTECTION OF

ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS AND EQUIPMENT AGAINST LIGHTNING

Preliminary Report of the Sectional Committee

on Protection Against Lightning

September 12, 1929

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1929

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. - Price 25 cents

MEMBERS OF THE SECTIONAL COMMITTEE

Sponsors: American Institute of Electrical Engineers. National Bureau of Standards. NAME AND BUSINESS AFFILIATION OEGANIZATION EEPEESENTED *M. G. Lloyd (chairman), Bureau of Standards, National Bureau of Standards. Washington, D. C.

*F. W. Peek, jr. (vice chairman), General Electric American Institute of Electrical EngiCo., Pittsfield, Mass. neers. *0. S. Peters (secretary), Bureau of Standards, National Bureau of Standards. Washington, D. C. W. B. Arbuckle, superintendent of fire alarm, International Association of Municipal

Bayonne, N. J. Electricians. A. L. Atherton, Westinghouse Electric & Manu- American Institute of Electrical Engifacturing Co., East Pittsburgh, Pa. • neers. *W. C. Beckjord, American Light & Traction Co., American Gas Association. New York, N. Y.

J. S. Baker, Cook Electric Co., Chicago, 111 United States Independent Telephone

Association. Bureau of Construction and Repair, Navy De- United States Navy Department.

partment, Washington, D. C. W. L. Cook, Reliable Electric Co., Chicago, 111... United States Independent Telephone

Association. R. N. Covert, United States Weather Bureau, United States Weather Bureau. Washington, D. C. *H. W. Drake, W

Testern Union Telegraph Co., Western Union Telegraph Co. New York, N. Y.

Frank E. Epps, Tidewater Oil Co., New York, National Safety Council. N. Y.

(Alternate: William F. Rooney.)

V. E. Goodwin, General Electric Co., Pittsfield, National Electrical Manufacturers' As- Mass, sociation.

*F. L. Hunt, Turners Falls Power & Electric Co., American Institute ©f Electrical EnGreenfield, Mass. gineers. Holger Jensen, Maryland Casualty Co., Balti- National Bureau of Casualty and

more, Md. Surety Underwriters. Leroy E. Kern, Structural Service Bureau.'New American Institute of Architects. York, N. Y.

S. D. Kretzer, St. Louis Lightning Rod Co., St. National Lightning Rod Manufacturers'

Louis, Mo. Association. James S. Mahan, Western Actuarial Bureau, National Fire Protection Association. Chicago, 111. Member of Executive Committee.

Ill
IV MEMBERS OF THE SECTIONAL COMMITTEE

NAME AND BUSINESS AFFILIATION

F. McVittie, New York State Railways, Rochester, N. Y.

(Alternate: P. V. C. See.)

J. L. Niesse, C, C, C. & St. L. Railway, Indianapolis, Ind.

P. Norton, Western Electric Co., New York, N. Y.

J. P. O'Donohue, Postal Telegraph-Cable Co., New York, N. Y.

(Alternate: D. H. Gage.) Dana Pierce, Underwriters' Laboratories, Chicago, 111. (Alternate: B. H. Glover.) D. W. Roper, Commonwealth Edison Co., Chicago, 111. (Alternates: A. Marwell and E. C. Stone.) E. R. Scales, Edison Lamp Works, Harrison, N.J. W. C. Shinn, W. C. Shinn Manufacturing Co., Chicago, 111. F. B. Silsbee, Bureau of Standards, Washington, D. C. *C. E. Skinner, Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., East Pittsburgh, Pa. Thomas Sproule, Public Service Electric & Gas

Co., Newark, N. J. (Alternate: R. N. Conwell.) E. R. Stotts, Dodd & Struthers, Des Moines,

Iowa. H. S. Warren, American Telephone & Telegraph

Co., New York, N. Y. W. C. Wagner, Philadelphia Electric Co., Philadelphia, Pa.

ORGANIZATION REPRESENTED

American Electric Railway Association.

American Railway Association. Western Electric Co.

Postal Telegraph-Cable Co.

Underwriters' Laboratories (Inc.).

National Electric Light Association.

American Society of Safety Engineers- Engineering Section, National Safety

. Council. National Lightning Rod Manufacturers'

Association. National Bureau of Standards. American Petroleum Institute. National Electric Light Association.

National Lightning Rod Manufacturers'

Association. American Telephone & Telegraph Co.

Association of Edison Illuminating Companies.

• Member of Executive Committee.
PREFACE

For some years a project has been under way under the

auspices of the American Standards Association for the

formulation of standards for protection against lightning.

The sponsors for this project are the American Institute of

Electrical Engineers and the National Bureau of Standards.

The protection of persons, buildings, oil tanks, etc., has

been dealt with in a code which has received the approval

of the American Standards Association and has been published as Miscellaneous Publication No. 92 of the Bureau of Standards.

It was originally intended that in addition to the three

parts of the code just referred to there should be two additional parts dealing, respectively, with the protection of power and railway circuits and equipment, and communication and signaling circuits and equipment. Present

practice in these fields has not, however, crystallized to the

point where it was felt that definite standards could be set up as final and controlling. Nevertheless, the committee

collected information as to methods of protection now in

vogue and practices which have been found satisfactory in

dealing with Hghtning disturbances. This document is a preliminary report of the committee on this subject, and

it is issued not only for the purpose of making available the

information contained herein, but of presenting the present

results for the consideration and criticism of those who

have had experience in dealing with this subject. For

convenience of reference the original numbering of the

paragraphs has been retained. v
VI PREFACE

In this report the committee has not attempted to set down performance tests which would decide the suitability of

lightning arresters for the purpose used. Neither has it attempted to set down the operating conditions which will justify the installation and use of lightning arresters. It has

rather endeavored to indicate how and where lightning

arresters should be installed in those cases where it has been

decided that their use is justified.

In each of the parts herewith presented there is an introductory statement dealing with the subject in hand, and the

report includes one appendix in which is given a general

discussion of lightning, its origin, characteristics, and effects,

and another containing a bibliography of the subject.

Practice in the design of lightning arresters for electrical equipment and in their application and use by power,

communication, and railroad companies has varied greatly in

the past. Eecent investigations have increased our knowledge of the conditions involved and are leading to the

application of more definite principles, but it must be real- ized that the most suitable practices depend upon economics

as well as technical knowledge.

Further experience and the accumulating knowledge of the

properties of lightning may render some of the suggestions in

this report obsolete, * and it is expected that at some future

time this report may be revised in harmony with further

progress in the art. Comments and recommended changes

are invited from all who may have experience in this field.
CONTENTS

Page Protection of power and railway circuits and equipment 1 Introduction 1 Economical use of lightning arresters and continuity of service 4

Correct application of devices 5

Sec. 40. Scope, etc 6

400. Scope and purpose 6

Sec. 41. Specifications of lightning arresters for railway and

power circuits 6

410. Voltage 6

411. Construction 6

412. Instructions 6

Sec. 42. Purpose and function of protective devices 7

420. Lightning arresters 7

421. Choke coils 7

422. Overhead ground wires 8

Sec. 43. Railway circuits 8

430. Special considerations in the railway protective

problem 8

431. Methods of protection 9

432. Classification of electric railway equipment 9

433. Application of lightning protection and installa- tion suggestions 10

(a) Power houses and substations 10

(6) Line conductors, feeders, contact wires,

and third or contact rails 11

(c) Locomotive and car equipment 13

434. Lightning-arrester grounds 13

(a) Station arresters 13

(6) Line arresters 1 14

(c) Cars and locomotives 14

VII
VIII CONTENTS

Protection of power and railway circuits and equipment—Con. Page

Sec. 44. Power circuits 15

440. Selection of equipment in relation to flashover voltages 15

441. Protection at stations 17

442. Protection on distribution circuits 18

443. Protection of street-lighting circuits 19

444. Line-transformer protection 20

445. Classes of arresters for protection of apparatus on overhead lines and in stations or substations. 22

Sec. 45. Overhead ground wires 23

450. Reduction of induced voltages 23

451. Protection to stations 24

452. Materials, wire sizes, and method of installation. 25

Sec. 46. Lightning-arrester grounds 27

460. Impedance of ground connections 27

(a) General 27

(6) Grounding conductor 27

(c) Connection between grounding conductor

and electrode 28

(d) Ground electrode 28

(e) Resistivity of the soil 29

461. Water-pipe grounds 31

462. Other underground structures 31

463. Artificial grounds 32

(a) General 32

(6) Driven pipes or rods 32

(c) Buried electrodes 34

464. Separation of grounds 36

Sec. 47. Testing of lightning-arrester grounds 37

470. Resistance 37

471. Precautions to be taken in measuring grounds 39

472. Method I (ammeter-voltmeter with single auxil- iary ground) * 41

473. Method II (ammeter-voltmeter using three cur- rent terminals) 41

474. Method III (ammeter-voltmeter with battery and

reversing switch) 44

475. Method IV (bridge with alternating current) 46

476. Comparison of methods 48
CONTENTS IX

Page Protection of communication and signaling circuits and equipment 50

Introduction 50

Sec. 50. Scope, etc 50

500. Scope and purpose 50

Sec. 51. Forms of protectors and methods of use 51

510. Form of protectors 51

511. Connections of protectors 52

512. Additional features 52

Sec. 52. Radio equipment 52

520. Accident prevention 52

521. Fire prevention — 54 Appendix A. Lightning: its origin, characteristics, and

effects 56 Appendix B. Bibliography 95
—
PROTECTION OF POWER AND RAILWAY CIRCUITS

AND EQUIPMENT

INTRODUCTION

During thunderstorms the lightning in the clouds and

between clouds and earth gives rise to induced potentials on

electrical circuits. Experience has shown that the potentials

produced in circuits in this way in certain localities are at times so high as to make it not economically practicable to

insulate apparatus against them. • We can estimate the magnitude of the potentials occurring

in practice from the klydonograph records which are now

available. These show that transient potentials as high as 2,000,000 volts have occurred on a line 50 feet (15 m) high,

causing flashoVer with a line insulator of 14 disks. The

voltage would probably have risen higher than this had it not been limited by the flashover voltage of the insulators,

which depends upon the time characteristics of the applied

impulse. The usual potentials induced by lightning are, of course, much less than 2,000,000 volts, but it is usually

necessary to base protection on the maximum potentials

expected. For conditions approximating direct strokes a

gradient of 100 kv. per foot (328 kv. per m) of line height

has been assumed by some. Although there is a considerable time lag in the breakdown of any insulation under application of overvoltage,

and although the duration of these excess voltage transients

is very short, it is readily seen that difficulties will be en- countered in attempting to design apparatus, particularly

for low-voltage systems, with insulation to withstand such

1
2 POWER AND RAILWAY CIRCUITS

potentials. Apparatus troubles are almost certain to develop

unless some protective measure is adopted.

Line insulation is different in its nature from apparatus

insulation in that the latter normally fails by puncture, while

line insulation normally fails by flash over through the air path around it. The application of a single overpotential

to a line insulator may cause a flashover with the possibility

of an interruption to service. If the interruption does not

occur, no harm is done because the only path affected is the

air path. In the case of apparatus insulation, however, a

single application of overvoltage may not cause a breakdown, but it may cause injury to the insulation which would

make the path for the next application of excess voltage

weaker, and by repeated application, cause failure. In

other words, the solid insulation used in apparatus is subject

to cumulative deterioration under the influence of these

transient voltages, while line insulation is not. A difference which further distinguishes line insulation is that it is widespread in extent. At the same time the field of influence of a lightning arrester, or the length of line which

it will protect, is limited to a relatively short distance by

the character of the impulses it is intended to relieve. As a consequence, it is not feasible at the present time to provide

protection for line insulation, and the practice has become

prevalent of designing it to withstand high induced voltages

to the greatest practicable extent. Generally a large margin

is provided between the flashover value and line voltage,

and this margin has been fixed empirically to take care of such transient voltages as are likely to appear without too frequent flashovers. The factors which affect this margin

are the height of the line above ground; the inherent time

lag of the insulators; the severity of lightning conditions in

the territory; shielding of the line by overhead ground
INTRODUCTION 3

wires, overbuilt higher-potential circuits, and near-by

buHdings; all of which tend to reduce the transient voltages.

A similar effect also doubtless arises from the fact that the

lower-voltage lines which are normally most subject to this kind of flashover, usually have apparatus with lightningprotective equipment connected to them at frequent intervals.

Since the practice has been adopted, as above stated, of

providing lines inherently able to withstand the lightning

potentials which are incident to them, protection by lightning

arresters is limited to the protection of apparatus. It is evident that this must be the case, since the field of influence

of an arrester is very limited. Because of the nature of the

impulses, an arrester, no matter what its characteristics, will not protect any apparatus or line insulation at any great

distance away from the point of connection. Apparatus

insulation, however, has been shown by experience and by

theoretical considerations to require under certain conditions

of exposure the use of protective equipment. It is known

that it is possible for transient potentials to appear on trans- mission lines which will be dangerous to apparatus designed

for the highest voltages now in use, but whether such potentials are sufficiently frequent and sufficiently dangerous to warrant the large investment required for protective equipment for such systems has not been established.

There are other transient voltages which appear on circuits

from changes in the circuit conditions, as during switching.

In general, these transients are not such as to be dangerous

to normally designed apparatus, and no need for protection

is introduced by them. On circuits with nongrounded

neutral, the phenomenon of arcing grounds can introduce

dangerous voltages and cause considerable trouble with

apparatus. Lightning arresters of the present day, however,

are not designed to withstand such disturbances. On account
4 POWER AND RAILWAY CIRCUITS

of their considerable duration, if arresters are made to operate

and protect against them, the arresters are quite likely to be injured or destroyed.

The major function for lightning arresters is the protection of the insulation of apparatus connected to the

circuit against transient voltages which appear as a result of

lightning storms. Economical Use of Lightning Arresters and Continuity of Service.

The use of Hghtning arresters is, to a large degree, a problem of financial economy, the solution of which is approximate, because of the difficulty involved in evaluating the

protection afforded in any given instance. It is always

necessary to deal with averages taken over a period of

years from a large number of arresters. Two major factors influence the use of protective devices,

viz, the prevalence of lightning in any given locality and

the value placed upon continuity of service. The first is probably the least important, and is not a logical basis for

the installation of arresters. The weight that should be

given to it can, in some measure, be determined by consideration of the map of distribution of thunderstorms shown in

Figure 7, Appendix A, but the value placed upon continuity

of service is, more often than not, the deciding factor. When determining the amount of money to be expended for

protection at a given point in a system, the yearly cost of interruptions which are due to failures at that point, which

Would have been prevented by the use of Hghtning arresters,

must be estimated. The operating company is probably

justified in expending for protection a proportionate amount,

depending upon the degree of protection afforded. The aver- age life of the arrester and any maintenance charges must

also be considered.
INTRODUCTION" 5

The cost of interruption includes the cost of locating

trouble, removal of damaged equipment, installation of new apparatus, repair of damaged apparatus (or new apparatus if it can not be repaired), and also the cost of lost service.

The last is the most difficult to estimate.

When estimating the cost of lost service, not only must

the value of the lost revenue be considered, but the cost to the power consumer must also be included, for a shutdown

of a few hours may cost the consumer many times the value

of the lost revenue to the operating company. In addition,

account must be taken of the loss of good will and prestige.

Some installations should be equipped with the best protection which can be obtained irrespective of considerations

of economy. Such installations are those where an interruption of power supply may involve the loss of human life. The

choice of lightning arresters is a matter worthy of careful

thought as they, together with other protective equipment,

constitute the operating company's insurance against interruptions of service. For a more detailed treatment of the

economics of arrester application, reference should be made

to the bibliography in Appendix B.

Correct Application of Devices.

The methods herein set forth of applying devices for the

protection of circuits and equipment against the effects of

lightning and other high-potential disturbances must of

necessity be quite general. This means that, in the installation of devices of different manufactures which may utilize different principles of operation, details of method of installation will vary. Obviously, this report can not take account

of all such details and it is therefore recommended that the user look to the manufacturer for detailed instructions

regarding installation and operation of his equipment.
6 POWER AND RAILWAY CIRCUITS

SEC. 40. SCOPE, ETC.

400. Scope and Purpose.

This part of the report deals with the protection against

lightning of all circuits, and all apparatus connected to

circuits used for general transmission, distribution, and

utilization of electrical energy for power and railway purposes.

Its scope is limited to the location and method of installing

lightning arresters, irrespective of the method of operation.

The purpose is to set forth means and methods whereby

the hazard to property, due to lightning, may be minimized.

SEC. 41. SPECIFICATIONS OF LIGHTNING ARRESTERS FOR

RAILWAY AND POWER CIRCUITS

410. Voltage.

Lightning arresters shall embody on their name plates the

maximum system voltage for which they are designed. The

selection of arresters should be based on the maximum

operating voltage which may exist for any period on the

system or circuit where the arresters are to be installed. In no case should the operating voltage of the system or

circuit exceed the maximum voltage rating of the arrester. The name plates shall clearly designate the manufacturer's

name and the arrester classification. 411. Construction.

Arresters shall be of durable construction and preferably

permit convenient inspection. Arresters for outdoor instal- lation shall be inclosed in suitable weatherproof housings. Arresters for use on locomotives should preferably be in- closed in steel boxes.

412. Instructions. Arresters shall be supplied with suitable instructions to enable the operator to properly install, operate, and maintain them.
LIGHTNING ARRESTEES 7

SEC. 42. PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF PROTECTIVE DEVICES

420. Lightning Arresters. The purpose of a lightning arrester is to provide an intentional discharge path between conductor and earth for lightning and other transient overvoltages, which discharge path can be located at the terminals of apparatus or at other

vulnerable points of the circuits. By virtue of the lightning arrester this discharge path is practically nonconducting at normal system voltage, but becomes automatically

conducting at some voltage above normal, but below the safe

insulation strength of the apparatus, and automatically

restores itself to the nonconducting condition after each

transient discharge.

421. Choke Coils.

Choke coils may be used with lightning arresters as a supplementary form of protection. A choke coil is an air-core

coil of relatively small concentrated inductance which is inserted in series with the line conductor between the lightning-arrester connection and apparatus to be protected.

The choke coil has greatest value when installed close to the lightning-arrester connection. In railway practice its use is generally warranted with arresters employing the

series gap.

The function of a choke coil is to retard the travel of

transient voltage waves coming toward the apparatus, and to cause complete or partial reflection of such waves at the

point where the Hghtning arresters can most effectively

discharge their energy to earth. In causing the reflection

the choke coil takes the high turn-to-turn voltage stress attending reflection and thereby reduces the stress on the

apparatus.

56337°—29 2
8 FUNCTIOK OF PROTECTIVE DEVICES

422. Overhead Ground Wires.

The purpose of an overhead ground wire is to reduce the

magnitude of the voltage induced electrostatically on exposed

line wires by Ughtning. It acts as a partial shield or screen and thus reduces the electrostatic field between the line conductor and ground. It may also protect against a direct

stroke of Hghtning by being itself struck. Overhead ground

wires, on account of their high initial and maintenance cost, are not generally used on low-voltage circuits. Grounded

conductors in overhead lines function to a marked degree as overhead ground wires in shielding other conductors of

their own and adjacent circuits. SEC. 43. RAILWAY CIRCUITS

430. Special Considerations in the Railway Protective

Problem.

In general, electric railway systems should be equipped

according to the best available methods of Hghtning protection. Several factors lead to this statement. First, one

side (usually the negative for direct current) of the railway

system is grounded, making possible the use of the tracks for a return circuit from any point of the system to the power

house or substation. This means that hghtning voltages are impressed between terminals of apparatus as well as between

terminal and ground. Also, when a hghtning arrester dis- charges, there is always the full voltage of the system applied

to the arrester to impose follow current through the arrester. On the other hand, the practice of grounding railway cir- cuits eliminates the possiblity of arcing grounds and their

attendant high-frequency phenomena.

Second, the d. c. railway apparatus to be protected involves

essentially rotary equipment, such as d. c. generators, rotary

converters, traction motors, and the smaller air-compressor
RAILWAY PROBLEM 9

motors, all of which may be directly connected to exposed

overhead circuits. It must be recognized here that while

such rotary equipment meets its standards of dielectric

tests, it is not possible to incorporate as large an insulation

factor of safety above the standard test as can be had on

stationary apparatus, such as transformers, where insulation

space factor is less restricting to economy in design. Also, extra end-turn insulation, common in transformer design, can rarely be introduced in slot type of windings on rotary

machines dealt with in d. c. railway practice.

Third, on the d. c. railway system, apparatus to be protected may be at any part of the system; that is, while the

generating and substation apparatus is confined to definite

locations on the system, the cars or locomotives may be at any point on the system.

Fourth, failure of electric railway apparatus by lightning

may impose intolerable penalties in service interruptions and

repair costs. 431. Methods of Protection.

Protection of railway equipment against lightning and

other transient overvoltages is best accomplished by lightning arresters, which may or may not be supplemented with

choke coils. Overhead grounded messenger wires will

appreciably reduce the lightning voltage induced on exposed

feeder or contact wires, but do not eliminate the need for

lightning arresters. 432. Classification of Electric Railway Equipment.

For convenience in considering the protective practice,

electric railway equipment may be divided into three classes as follows:

(a) Power houses and substations,
10 RAILWAY CIRCUITS

(b) Line conductors, such as overhead contact wires and

feeders, and third or contact rails,

(c) Locomotives and cars. 433. Application of Lightning Protection and Installation

Suggestions.

(a) Power Houses and Substations.—If the railway

system is operating in a hghtning territory and has exposed

feeders or contact wires emanating from power houses or

substations, hghtning arresters should be installed and so located as to afford the greatest protective efficiency. This

will generally include an arrester (omitting choke coil) on each station bus or bus section, and arresters with choke

coils on each outgoing feeder or contact wire. The arresters and choke coils on the feeders and contact wires may be

installed either indoors or outdoors, but should preferably

be located at the point where the exposed conductors leave

the building. Such location will insure that the arresters are on the line side of all feeder panels as well as the other

station apparatus. The choke coil should be located in

the line close to the point of line connection to arrester, and on the station side of the arrester connection.

The arresters on the station busses may not be necessary, depending upon the protective efficiency of the arresters on

each outgoing exposed feeder and contact wire. However,

bus arresters represent a second-line defense and their use may prevent damage to the generating, transforming, or converter equipment in cases of very severe hghtning which

might exceed the capacity of the feeder arresters. Where feeders leave a station through underground cables,

individual arresters on such feeders may be omitted, this

depending largely on the length of the cable to the nearest exposed overhead line connection. Where such cable

feeders do not have arresters, the use of station bus arresters
POWER STATIONS 11

becomes very essential, and the use of arresters at the

junction of the cable feeder and any exposed overhead line

is important in safeguarding both cable and station equipment. With arrester installations on cable feeders, choke

coils should generally be omitted. Where the cables are short the feeder arresters may be installed in the station.

When arresters of the more restricted discharge capacity

are used, the installation of two or more such arresters in

parallel may be justified, particularly on important station

busses. The size of conductor for connecting arrester to

line should not be less than a No. 6 A. W. G. copper or its equivalent in conductance.

(6) Line Conductors, Feeders, Contact Wires, and

Third or Contact Rails.—The value of line hghtning

arresters is rather difficult to deterniine. Generally, they

are secondary in importance to arresters on station and car

or locomotive equipment. Where railway systems are operating in regions of severe and frequent hghtning, the

use of arresters along the exposed feeders and contact wires

will unquestionably decrease the hazard to rolling stock and

station equipment. While recommendations can not be

made generally for the use of line arresters, there is increased

favor for them among some railway companies. In deciding

the question of employing line arresters, the efficiency of

the station and car arresters must be taken into account.

If the protective efficiency of the station arresters and car

arresters is of the highest order, line arresters may not

appreciably reduce the lightning failures in station or car equipment. If, however, station and car arresters have

lower protective ability, the presence of line arresters may

very appreciably reduce the hghtning damage to equipment

and service interruptions. Line arresters in any case will unquestionably improve the protection of the system as a
12 RAILWAY CIRCUITS

whole, but whether their expense is justified by reduced

Hghtnirig troubles depends upon the efficiency of arresters provided for the apparatus, the severity and frequency of fightning in the region of the system, and the safety factor

of the apparatus insulation.

Where line arresters are used, they should preferably be

installed on the pole or bridge supporting the contact wire

and as near as possible to points where feeder and contact

wire are tied together (commonly called feeder taps). The

number of feeder taps varies widely on different systems

depending on voltage, load, size of feeder, etc., and the number of line arresters may also vary depending on the number

of feeder taps and the severity of fightning in any given

locality on the system. The number of line arresters to be

installed per unit of length of line depends upon the value of

apparatus protected, the requirements in continuity of service, the safety factor in line and apparatus insulation, and

the cost of the arresters and their maintenance. This must

be studied for each individual system.

Arresters for line use should be weatherproof, and require

a minimum of maintenance. They should be positive in

their ability to prevent follow current as any failure in this

respect results in a short-circuit which might be difficult to locate among a large number of line arresters. Where signal mechanisms or other line apparatus are located at points along the line wires, line arresters may be

so distributed as to offer maximum benefits in protecting

such signals. Such line equipment may justify line arresters at their terminals where line protection might otherwise be

unwarranted. This depends on the type of mechanism,

its susceptibility to damage by lightning and the importance

of its service continuity.
CONDUCTORS 13

The connection from line-arrester terminals to line wires or feeders should not be smaller than No. 6 A. W. G. copper

or its equivalent in conductance.

The contact or third rails may experience voltage surges

produced electromagnetically within the circuit by sudden

interruptions in power current flow. Such cases are not

often encountered in general practice, and where they do

occur they should be made the subject of a special investigation.

(c) Locomotive and Car Equipment.—If a railway sys- tem is operating in a hghtning territory and has exposed

overhead feeders and contact wires, lightning arresters should be installed on each locomotive or car to protect

the motors and auxiliary car equipment against damage.

The arresters should be so installed and located as to afford

the greatest protective efficiency to the entire car equipment. Generally a choke coil is a valuable supplement to car or locomotive arresters, but may not be justified where

the protective efficiency of arresters is of the highest order.

The value of the choke coil is generally greater with the

series-gap type of arrester where time lag of the gap must

be overcome before the discharge path of the arrester be- comes conducting to transient voltages.

The effectiveness of arresters hinges appreciably on their

location with respect to car wiring and equipment. In all cases advantage is had from the protective standpoint by

locating the arrester close to the base of the current collector

(trolley pole or pantograph) on the roof of the car. Should

the car be of wooden construction, the same location of the

arrester and choke coil is recommended.

434. Lightning-Arrester Grounds.

(a) Station Arresters.—Station and substation arresters should be grounded to the main station ground bus.
14 RAILWAY CIRCUITS

For methods of obtaining adequate ground connections

for lightning arresters reference is made to sections 46 and 47.

(b) Line Arresters.—The grounding electrode for line arresters shall consist essentially of driven pipes or rods

installed as close as possible to the base of the pole or bridge

supporting the arrester. Where line arresters are installed on grounded steel bridges, towers, or poles, the arrester ground may be supplemented by an extra ground wire

from the arrester to the nearest part of the grounded steel structure. For methods of obtaining adequate ground connection for Hghtning arresters, reference is made to sections

46 and 47. It is usually preferable to connect the lightning-arrester

ground lead to both the ground rod and the track rails. Where this is not possible the connection should be made to the ground rod only. It may be impossible to connect to the

track rails in the following cases: (1) Where ground-current

flow from the track to arrester ground or vice versa would

promote serious electrolytic action by current flowing from

the arrester ground electrodes to adjacent piping or underground conducting systems; (2) where such interconnections

would seriously interfere with the system of block signaling.

(c) Cars and Locomotives.—The best ground connection

for car and locomotive arresters is obtained by the contact

of trucks to the track rails. While the track may not be

actually connected to earth, the track represents a largecapacity ground for lightning or transient discharges. The

arrester ground terminal may be connected directly to the

steel roof or frame of the car making the arrester ground'

wire as short as possible. With all-steel cars or locomotives

having roof, body, and frame of steel which is continuous to the trucks, it is not necessary to extend an arrester ground

wire down to the truck. If a choke coil is used it should be
CARS AND LOCOMOTIVES 15

inserted close to the collector bus in the main circuit which

supplies current to the controllers and all auxiliary equipments such as lights, heating units, and compressor motors.

In the case of cars of wooden construction the grounding

wire should be carried as straight and direct as possible to the

motor frame of the nearest truck. Arrester line and ground

leads should preferably be separated from other car wiring by

12 inches, and the paralleling of the arrester-to-ground

discharge path to any other circuits should be avoided.

Lightning-arrester line and ground wires should not be

inclosed in iron conduit unless bonded to that conduit at each end. Wires connected to opposite terminals of a choke coil should preferably be kept separated by not less than 12 inches. The line connection of any lightning

arrester shall not be less than a No. 6 A. W. G. copper wire or

its equivalent in conductance.

SEC. 44. POWER CIRCUITS

440. Selection of Equipment in Relation to Flashover

Voltages.

The need for protection of power circuits and apparatus

against failures because of lightning potential is largely

dependent on the requirements for service continuity. The

possible saving in cost of apparatus repairs or replacement is appreciable, but, in general, this alone can not justify the

extended use of equipment of the kinds now available. The

present trend of system design toward large generating units,

planned for economic generation and interconnected to

effect load-factor economies, accentuates the need for protection.

Considering the problem in this light it is evident that the

system of protection must include not only the protective

devices employed, but also the coordination of insulation

design on the line, in the station, and in the equipment.
16 POWER CIRCUITS

The line is designed to give reliable service, within the

limits of available equipment, by selection of proper insulators

and, where necessary, by the use of overhead ground wires.

Whatever the design of the line, there will almost certainly be some induced voltages high enough to cause flashover. In

the present state of the art, such flashovers are unavoidable,

and constitute a weakness in the protection system. They

do, however, impose a limit on the potentials which reach the

most vital parts of the system and thus define the design of

station insulation, the selection of station equipment, from

the standpoint of insulation, and the characteristics of

protective equipment.

Because cloud discharges occur at random over the area covered by the system, and because the transmission and

distribution circuits are of large extent as compared to the

stations, most of the lightning potentials will originate in the

circuits and very few in the stations. These high-potential

disturbances must then, in general, travel over the circuits to the stations. If the line insulation does not flash over, the

potential reaches the station reduced according to the dis- tance traveled. The limiting case is where the point of

origin is near the station. If in this case the line insulation

flashes over, only the first part of the transient reaches the

station and there is no reduction in its initial value. The

upper limit of the potential which reaches the station is thus dependent upon the line insulation except for those

rare occasions when the cloud discharge takes place directly over the station.

This upper limit is not a fixed voltage value for any particular line insulation, but varies between the crest value

of 60-cycle dry-flashover voltage for transients of long wave

front to several times this value for transients of steep wave

fronts, as in the case where the static field gradient is such
FLASHOVER VOLTAGES 17

that the resultant conductor voltage would be many times the

flashover value of the insulators if it were not for the fact

that the flashover occurs. But the maximum value is not

necessarily the most dangerous to apparatus insulation

because it is of very short duration.

From these considerations it is possible to get an idea as

to the voltages which may reach the station.

Unprotected station insulation, such as bus-bar supports on

the line side of the arrester, must be equal in flashover value

to the line insulation if flashover is to be prevented at such

points. In the case where the line is on wood poles and the

station structure is steel, the unprotected station insulation

must be selected with the extra surge insulation value of the

wood poles in mind.

In order to prevent apparatus failure and service interruption, apparatus insulation and arresters must be selected so that flashover of bushings and puncture of insulation do not

occur. The transformer should have the highest insulation, the

transformer bushing the next, and the transmission line insulators in the vicinity of the station next. This is subject to modification, however, by the protective apparatus provided.

441. Protection at Stations.

Stations are often of considerable extent, and thus an

appreciable problem is introduced as to the location of

protective equipment. It is the common practice to place

lightning-arrester protection at the point of entrance of

overhead lines to the station or substation on the line side of

all station equipment. Certain situations may arise where,

if it is attempted to protect the bushings of the circuit- breaker at the entrance to the station by connecting the

arrester on the line side of this breaker, and if there is con-
18 POWER CIRCUITS

siderable length of circuit between the arrester and the

transformers, the reduced voltage transient which passes the

arrester, and which in itself is harmless to the apparatus, may

be doubled in value on account of reflection at the trans- former. This increased voltage lasts, in the case of steep wave fronts, for the time required for the transient to travel

from the transformer to the arrester and back to the trans- former, and may be dangerous. If, on the other hand, an

attempt is made to avoid this by placing the arrester at the

transformer terminals, all the station insulation must have a

transient-voltage flash-over value greater than that of the

line, and apparatus bushings of higher cost may be required.

An alternative sometimes employed is the use of arresters at the point of entrance of the line to the station and at the

transformers. Sometimes choke coils can be used to compensate for the circuit length within the station.

Conditions are so various that it is necessary to study

the design of important stations individually and insure

proper coordination of line insulation, station structure in- sulation, lightning arresters, apparatus insulation, and choke

coils. 442. Protection on Distribution Circuits.

The foregoing applies to the protection of substations and

generating stations where the circuit length is considerable

and the connected apparatus is separated by several miles.

The conditions are different on circuits, such as distribution

and series lighting circuits, where the apparatus is connected

at close intervals along the circuit. For this condition a high degree of protection will, where

required, be secured by connecting arresters to the circuit at each transformer, motor, or other important piece of equipment, but where installations are very close together,
DISTRIBUTION CIRCUITS 19

as in urban distribution systems or at industrial plants,

arresters need not be spaced so closely.

Such a system of protection operates by providing paths to ground at the point on the circuit where the transient potential originates. The transient does not travel along the

circuit; or does so to a very limited degree. Many arresters usually operate on each occurrence of overvoltage.

Owing to the need for many units, economic considerations

have led to the use of small-size arresters for this service, even at a reduction in protective value. Because of the fact

that each overvoltage occurrence is taken care of by several

arrester units, these small arresters of reduced protective

value have been found to give satisfactory results. Moreover, the use of arresters at frequent intervals along the

circuit has a marked influence on the frequency of line- insulator flashover, and thus acts in this way to improve

service continuity.

Circuits carrying voltages of the order used in house

lighting and ordinarily referred to as lighting circuits do

not usually require lightning protection. This comes about

for two reasons. First, neutrals are grounded, small clear- ances are used, and they are almost always screened by buildings and other structures in such a way that the effect of

lightning is not so marked. Secondly, they are for the most

part rather short and low in height so that the voltage

induced is correspondingly low in value.

443. Protection of Street-Lighting Circuits.

Street-lighting practice almost always involves constantcurrent series circuits. These circuits may be operated

with either alternating or direct current. The protection

of these circuits differs slightly from that of constantpotential circuits. The voltage of constant-current cir- cuits, in general, increases with the number of lamps in
20 POWER CIRCUITS

service. The voltage is maximum at the time of dropping

full load, due to the current-regulating devices. This

maximum is generally about 25 per cent above full-load voltage.

In districts where Hghtning is prevalent, suitable lightning arresters should be used to protect the station equipment and at any point where an overhead circuit joins a

section of underground cable. No protection is required

where the circuits are entirely underground.

The type of lightning arresters required for these circuits

depends upon whether the circuits are operated with direct or

alternating currents. The voltage rating of the arrester should slightly exceed the maximum voltage of the circuit as defined above.

444. Line-Transformer Protection.

In former days there was a distinction between transmission lines and distribution circuits, which appeared to be

fairly distinct. Transmission lines were considered to be

those circuits for transmitting current at high voltage

between one generating station and another generating

station or substation, and to which there were made no

connections for service to customers. With the developments in recent years, some companies have found it expedient to supply transformer installations connected to a

transmission line at locations remote from the terminals,

and such a practice is followed by some companies up to a

value of 44 kv., 3 phase. Other companies consider as trans- mission lines certain of their lines which are operating at about 5 kv., 3 phase.

To secure the most complete protection, there should be a

suitable lightning arrester connected to each wire of the 3- wire or 4-wire transmission line or distribution circuit at the

point where the transformer is connected. For the neutral
TRANSFORMER PROTECTION 21

wire of a 4-wire 3-phase line or distribution circuit to which

transformers are connected, a different type and cheaper

arrester than those used on the phase wires is quite sufficient. This would mean that if there are several transformer in- stallations connected through suitable switches or fuses to transmission lines, there should be a lightning-arrester

installation at each transformer installation; in urban

distribution, particularly in some of the larger cities where

separate transformers are installed for lighting or power

and, perhaps, for other classes of service, a study must be

made to determine the proper location of arresters, to give an adequate degree of protection.

If other apparatus, such as switches, is connected to an

overhead line, and if its insulation is not materially better

than the insulation of line transformers, then such apparatus

should be considered in exactly the same class as transformers

in determining upon the lightning protection.

Where power motors are connected directly to an overhead

circuit, as in the case of 2,300-volt or 6,600-volt motors for

large loads, especial attention must be given to lightning

protection. As has been pointed out in connection with

railway-circuit protection, rotating equipment of necessity

has less insulation factors of safety over the standard test and

operating voltage than do transformers, and extra end-turn

insulation common in transformer designs can not be readily

introduced on rotary machines. For this reason the requirements for protection are more rigid in the case of motors

connected directly to overhead circuits than in the case of

transformers, and correspondingly greater protection is required.

The best practice in such installations is to use arresters

of high quality, giving especial attention to installation,

and making certain that the ground connections have low
22 POWER CIRCUITS

resistance. This may call for the use of several ground rods

in parallel, and short grounding conductors. If the arrester

is not connected directly at the terminals of the motor, it should at least be connected as close to the building entrance

as possible.

445. Classes of Arresters for Protection of Apparatus on Overhead Lines and in Stations or Substations.

In arresters for the protection of a transformer installation on an overhead line, the amount of current at high

voltage which can reach that transformer installation can be determined. In designing arresters for line use, the manufacturers have determined the discharge capacity by these

considerations. For installation at generating stations or substations where there are a number of transmission lines,

and where greater discharge capacity is required in order to secure the same degree of protection, some of the companies

have designed or have produced a line of arresters called " station-type arresters" which have considerably greater

discharge capacity than the arresters for installation on the

line. Due consideration to the difference in the characteristics of the two types of arresters should be given in planning

Hghtiling-arrester installations.

The distribution-type arresters are designed to give adequate protection to transformers connected to circuits which, by reason of their characteristics and the presence of additional arresters on the same circuit, impose only a moderately severe duty on the arrester. Because of the large

number of small transformers to be protected, usually

scattered over a wide area, many arresters are required

which must necessarily be relatively inexpensive.

The station-type arresters are designed to satisfactorily

protect equipment located on lines where the duty of the

arrester by virtue of the characteristics of the circuit, is
CLASSES OF ARRESTEES 23

generally very severe, both with respect to impulse voltages

and currents. Usually the circuits are longer, the line insulation higher, and the importance of continuity of service even greater than found with distribution circuits. The

station-type arrester is larger and more expensive than the

distribution arrester, but the installations are fewer in

number, and the equipment being protected more valuable.

The station arrester, because of greater operating-voltage

variations, requires a greater factor of safety.

SEC. 45. OVERHEAD GROUND WIRES

450. Reduction of Induced Voltages.

Calculations as well as laboratory tests (see Appendix B)

show that overhead ground wires appreciably reduce the

voltage that may be induced on transmission lines by

lightning.

According to various investigators the reduction in induced

potential which may be expected for various numbers of

overhead ground wires is approximately as follows: One

ground wire, 30 to 50 per cent; two ground wires, 50 to 65 per

cent; and three ground wires, 60 to 75 per cent. In arriving at these figures it has been assumed that there

is positive grounding at every tower, that there is the nunimum practicable spacing between ground wire and conductors,

and that the ground wire itself has very low impedance.

Thus, if the possible induced voltage without ground wire were 1,000,000 volts, a 50 per cent reduction would bring

this to about 500,000 volts, which would prevent flashover on a line insulated for 600,000 volts. On the other hand, the

reduction from 1,000,000 to 500,000 volts would be of no avail on a line insulated for 350,000 volts. However, if the lightning stroke occurred farther away, the induced voltage would

56337°—29 3
24 OVEEHEAD GROUND WIRES

be less, say 600,000 volts. Then a 50 per cent reduction

would bring the voltage below the flashover strength of the

insulators. Because of construction, the elevation above

ground, and the system of connections, these voltages are

not, in general, experienced on secondary low-voltage cir- cuits. On account of the nature of the lightning discharge there , is considerable time lag in the arc over of the insulators ; that

is, a much greater voltage is necessary to flash them over than at 60 cycles. For example, an insulator which flashes over at 500,000 volts, 60 cycles may require 1,000,000 volts or more if the wave is of very steep front and of sufficiently

short duration. From this it follows that a reduction of 30

per cent or more in induced voltage may prevent 80 to 90

per cent of the flashovers on a line whose insulation strength

is comparable to the average voltage induced by lightning

and a correspondingly smaller percentage on lines whose

insulation strength is less. 451. Protection to Stations.

It is generally agreed that the steep wave fronts induced

by hghtning are rapidly damped out by the resistance of the

line conductors, so that as a rule they do not travel any

great distance. Nevertheless, a certain percentage of the

overvoltages are induced near stations, and those induced

farther away sometimes arrive at stations with sufficient remaining voltage to endanger apparatus. Thus, any

reduction caused by the ground wire assists in protecting

the apparatus connected to the line. Also, by acting as a short-circuited secondary, ground

wires may aid in reducing voltage at stations, by damping

out the wave of discharge; that is, ground wires not only

lower the induced voltage, but also reduce that voltage
STATION PROTECTION 25

further by more rapid attenuation where the surge is propagated for a considerable distance.

Ground wires assist in relieving a system by reducing the

ground resistance in some cases, and by providing a positive

ground return for the short-circuit current. In determining the advisability of installing a ground wire on the lower-voltage lines, it is necessary to carefully balance

the cost with the advantages of safety and service secured.

On very low-voltage systems, it can hardly be expected

that ground wires would reduce the voltage below the

flashover strength of the insulator.

Ground wires which have insufficient strength or which

are not properly installed, may cause trouble due to breaking,

swinging into transmission conductors, etc. This is not an argument against the efficiency of ground wires, but

rather against the use of unsuitable or improperly installed

ground wires.

452. Materials, Wire Sizes, and Method of Installation. It is desirable that ground wires should have a low impedance, be made of rustproof material, and have approximately the same sag as the line conductors. They may

be made of the same size and material as the line conductors,

but, if this is not considered economically practicable,

there may be used a copper-covered steel wire in which

the copper and steel are intimately welded together. The

conductor should be of a size to prevent corona and to give

sufficient mechanical strength.

In order to prevent crystallization due to vibration of

the ground wire, special methods of support have been

devised which are being tried out on important lines. In

general, the ground wire maintains a sufficiently good contact with the tower frame, but where this is not adequate,
26 OVERHEAD GROUND WIRES

the use of a jumper may be desirable to insure good con- ductance over the ground-wire clamp to the tower. On steel tower lines the earth footings will ordinarily serve as sufficient connection to the earth itself. Where,

because of the character of the soil or foot supports, this

connection is not sufficient, additional facilities, where

practicable, shall be provided, such as connections from the

tower structures to separate pipe grounds or connection

between towers. It is believed necessary that special

attention be paid to obtain good grounds, as in some cases the total short-circuit current due to accidental flashover

may be concentrated at a few points instead of being dis- tributed among a great many points. The resistance

should be kept as low as possible.

In case of wooden-pole lines a conductor should be run from the ground wire to the ground at frequent intervals.

Obviously the best results will be secured by grounding at each pole, except where this may incur such increased hazards

to linemen or other operating difficulties due to carrying the

ground potential up along the pole, that a modification may

be found to be desirable.

With wood-pole construction in dry climates, pins are generally left ungrounded to take advantage of the extra insulation afforded by wood poles and cross arms, and in such

cases the omission of ground wires may be justified. Wherever salt, alkali dust, etc., make uncertain the insulation

afforded by the wooden structure it is generally considered

advisable to ground the pins to avoid burning of cross arms,

etc. Here there is nothing gained by omitting ground wire,

and its installation presents the same advantage as on steel structures.
IMPEDANCE 27

SEC. 46. LIGHTNING-ARRESTER GROUNDS

460. Impedance of Ground Connections.

(a) General.—The purpose of grounding lightning arrest- ers is to secure a permanent path of low impedance between

the arrester and the earth. The problem of grounding lightning arresters is in many

1 respects the same as the problem of grounding neutrals of power systems. Solutions to these two problems differ because of the relatively small amounts of energy and of the

steep wave fronts involved with the functioning of lightning

arresters. The total impedance of a connection to earth is made up

of the impedances of the following elements:

1. The grounding conductor.

2. The connection between the grounding conductor and

the ground electrode.

3. The ground electrode.

4. The contact between the ground electrode and the soil. 5. The soil around the electrode.

The first two of these elements are discussed under corres- ponding headings and the last three under "Ground ElecI trode."

(b) Grounding Conductor.—Owing to the steep wave

fronts of lightning-arrester discharges the potential drop in

the grounding conductor is mostly inductive, and, consei quently, attention should be centered on constructing this

connection with a minimum of self-inductance. To attain

! this end, the connection should be as short and as straight as

; possible. Beyond a certain size, the self-inductance is not

appreciably diminished by increasing the size of the conductor. In practice it is usually found that when the con-

| ductor is large enough to provide mechanical strength, any

| further increase does not considerably reduce its self-indue-
28 ARRESTER GROUNDS

tance. When a lower self-inductance is required, it can best

be obtained by arranging more than one grounding conductor

in parallel; for instance, one on each side of a pole.

Where exposed to mechanical injury, as near the base of a

pole, a grounding wire should be protected with a covering of wood or other insulating material. A grounding wire should never be run through a metallic conduit, unless electrically

bonded to both ends of the conduit. Unless this is done, the

metallic conduit increases the potential drop in the conductor.

(c) Connection Between Grounding Conductor and

Electrode.—The connection between the grounding con- ductor and the electrode is of the highest importance. It should have ample area of contact, should be strong mechanically, and should be kept above the ground if possible.

Contact of different metals underground should be avoided

so as to avoid the deterioration which would result from

galvanic action. When unavoidable, such joints should be

coated with tar, pitch, or paint, which will insulate the

joint from any electrolytes which may be present in the soil. In connecting the grounding conductor to a buried plate

the conductor should be run along the plate and connected to

it at several points. The contact should be such as to be

maintained mechanically, whether to a copper plate or a galvanized iron plate or pipe, but this connection should be

soldered also whenever possible.

The connection to a buried electrode should never be made

by a single underground conductor, since a mechanical injury

to that conductor might escape detection and render the

entire system inoperative. Such underground connections

should consist of several conductors run in parallel, and laid

slack so as to decrease the danger of mechanical injury.

(d) Ground Electrode.—The total impedance between

a ground electrode and the earth is made up of the following:
GROUND ELECTRODE 29

1. The impedance of the electrode itself: This is inappreciable compared with the total ground impedance, except in

the case of grounds to extensive water-pipe systems.

2. The contact resistance between the electrode and the

soil: This is relatively small in properly constructed grounds.

3. The resistance of the soil: This depends upon the size of the electrode, upon the resistivity of the soil, and upon

the distribution of the current, the latter being largely a function of the general form of the electrode.

(e) Resistivity of the Soil.—

(1) Character of the soil.—The conducting properties of

the soil depend almost entirely on the presence of solution of

acids, salts, or alkalies. The lowest ground resistances are usually obtained in fine loam or clay. The presence of sand,

gravel, or stones increases the resistance.

(2) Effect of moisture.—The resistivity of the soil increases

very rapidly when its moisture content is decreased below

about 15 per cent. It is therefore of the utmost importance

that the ground electrode penetrate sufficiently the permanent moisture level. When the moisture content is increased

above 15 per cent the resistivity is not materially decreased.

Ground electrodes should never be placed in bodies of

relatively pure water, for instance, mountain streams or

lakes, since the conductivity of such water is very low.

(3) Effect of temperature.—Above freezing, a change in

temperature causes a change of about 2.5 per cent per ° C. in

the resistivity of soil, but below it the resistivity increases more rapidly as lower temperatures are reached. Consequently, ground electrodes should always extend below the

frost level.

(4) Artificial treatment of soils.—In order to obtain a

sufficiently low ground resistance in soils of high resistivity

that is, soils containing much stone, gravel, or sand—the
30 ARRESTER GROUNDS

resistivity of the soil around the electrodes may be reduced by

treatment with a salt solution, or a high-resistance soil around the electrode may be replaced by a good conductor,

such as coke.

The treatment with a salt solution consists usually in placing around the electrode some soluble salt in granular

form, covering the whole with soil, and saturating it with

water. Common salt is quite satisfactory for this purpose and

is most commonly used because it is quickly soluble, in- expensive, hygroscopic, and greatly reduces the resistivity

of the soil. It has a corrosive effect on the ground electrode,

but not to such an extent as to prohibit its use. Other substances which have been used for the purpose

are calcium chloride and sodium carbonate. These do not

cause as much corrosion as common salt, but calcium chloride

is comparatively expensive, and a solution of sodium car- bonate has a resistivity which is high compared with that

of a common-salt solution. In recent times copper sulphate

has been successfully employed. Its solution has a high

conductivity and it is claimed that it does not produce

corrosion.

Besides corrosion, the principal disadvantage of any salt treatment is that the salt is leached into the surrounding

earth and must be replaced. Grounds treated with salt, therefore, require periodic attention.

Treatment with coke consists in replacing the high-resist- ance soil around the electrode with coke, which has a good

conductivity when well packed. Similarly to common salt, the use of coke results in corrosion of the electrode. Its chief advantage lies in its permanency and in the fact that its resistivity does not depend on its moisture content. Treatment with coke is not practicable in the case of driven
TREATMENT OP SOIL. 31

grounds but is quite economical when buried-plate elec- trodes are used. The importance of tamping the coke well can not be overemphasized.

461. Water-Pipe Grounds.

Except under special circumstances, a water-pipe system

constitutes the best ground electrode and should be used

| when accessible. The impedance of such a ground usually is lower than any that can be attained by means of artificial grounds, and the expense is less. The grounding of lightning arresters to water-pipe systems results in no appreciable

electrolysis of the pipes because the quantities of electricity

discharged are very small.

Owing to the considerable area covered by the ordinary

water-pipe system, the resistance of the soil and the contact

resistance between that system and the soil are negligible.

The most appreciable part of the total impedance is usually

that of the pipe itself and of the joints between the pipes.

In certain cases this impedance may be so high as to prohibit

the use of the water-pipe system as a ground electrode. Such

1 a case may arise

! 1. When the joints between the pipes are made of some

high-resistance material, such as Portland cement.

2. When the only accessible water pipe extends a great

' distance before connecting to the main pipe system.

462. Other Underground Structures. When a suitable water-piping system is not available,

! metal well casings, or other underground metal structures

, may be used, but structures exposed to contact with the

i public, such as the frameworks of buildings, metal drain

' pipes, fences, track rails, etc., should not be used, except

that track rails may be employed for grounding railway

\i lightning arresters. During heavy lightning discharges
32 ARRESTER GROUNDS

such structures may have high potentials to ground, and if exposed, would constitute a hazard.

Lightning arresters should never be grounded to gas

pipes.

463. Artificial Grounds.

(a) General.—In the case of artificial grounds, the impedance of the electrode itself is usually negligible when

compared with the total impedance between the electrode

and the earth.

The contact resistance between the electrode and the soil

is also negligible if the soil around the electrode is packed

well, and if the surface of the electrode is kept free from

paint, grease, or other insulating material. Iron rust on the

surface of the electrode has little or no effect since it is permeable to water and has no greater resistance than the

soil around it. The principal factor in the total impedance between the

electrode and the earth is the resistance of the soil around

the electrode. This depends on the resistivity of the soil, which has been discussed already, and on the distribution of

the current, which in soils of uniform resistivity is solely a

function of the general form of the electrode, and in non- uniform soils is a function of both the nature of the soil and the form of the electrode.

The electrodes commonly used are driven pipes or rods, or buried plates. The driven form of electrode generally costs

least to install, and is therefore used wherever practicable.

(b) Driven Pipes or Rods.—As already mentioned, of

all the forms of artificial grounds, driven pipes or rods are usually the least expensive to install and should be used

except when the soil is underlaid with rock or is so stony as

to prevent driving, in which case buried electrodes of considerable area, such as plates or strips, should be used in
DRIVEN- PIPES 33

order to obtain low resistance. The advantages of driven

pipes or rods are:

1. Ease of construction and low cost.

2. Minimum requirements as to ground space.

3. Little or no excavation.

4. Multiple grounds can easily be provided.

5. Connection to pipe or rod is above ground and, therefore, is accessible for inspection.

There is no difference as to electrical characteristics

between pipes and rods. For the same diameter, rods are more expensive, but are sometimes easier to drive because

of greater mechanical strength. In certain localities the

ground may be too stony to drive ordinary pipe, but may be

penetrated with the stronger solid rod. Also, it is possible

to obtain ground rods covered with copper which, in some

cases, increases the resistance to corrosion.

There are several factors which influence the resistance of

driven grounds. These factors are as follows:

(1) Depth of driving.—Increased depth of driving makes for

lower ground resistance because of the greater cross-sectional area of the soil path of the current, the greater penetration

into moist earth, and the greater penetration below the frost

level. In soil of uniform resistivity little is gained by driving the pipe or rod beyond a depth of 8 feet (2.5 m). Under

ordinary conditions, however, the resistivity of the soil is far from uniform, because of the freezing of the upper

layers, because of their dryness, and because of nonuniformity of soil. Artificial grounds should be located where

practicable below permanent moisture level, or, failing in

this, at least 6 feet (1.8 m) deep. Each ground should

present not less than 2 square feet (0.2 sq. m) of surface

to its exterior soil. (2) Size of pipe or rod.—There is not sufficient difference

in the elctrical resistance with pipes from % to 2 inches
34 ARRESTER GROUNDS

(1.9 to 5 cm) internal diameter, to justify a contention that

any one size is best. Mechanical consideration and per- manency govern to a considerable extent. One-inch (2.5

cm) pipes will usually prove satisfactory, though 1.25 and

1.5 inch (3.2 and 3.8 cm) sizes are considered better practice.

Solid rods are usually smaller.

(3) Pipes or rods in multiple.—The use of several pipes or rods in multiple is often necessary to secure low resistance

values. Since about 90 per cent of the total potential drop

takes place within 2 feet (0.6 m) of the pipe or rod, the pipes

or rods should be driven at least 6 feet (1.8 m) apart whenever

possible. One pipe will then be kept out of the dense current path of another, and the resistance of the ground connection

will vary almost inversely as the number of electrodes. When the pipes can not be installed at this distance, as

at the base of a pole for example, two or three pipes can be

driven and the ground resistance may be reduced considerably thereby, although the pipes be only 2 feet (0.6 m)

apart. At 6 feet (1.8 m) apart the resistance of two pipes in

parallel is approximately 55 per cent of one of them, and at 2

feet (0.6 m) apart is approximately 65 per cent. It should

be remembered that a pole butt constitutes a path of high

resistance, and its presence between two ground pipes

increases the resistance to earth.

(c) Buried Electrodes.—The usual forms of buried

electrode grounds are buried plates, buried strips, and

patented grounding devices.

In such cases the electrodes are usually embedded in coke

since the presence of coke very appreciably lowers the total ground resistance without adding much to the expense,

because little additional excavation is necessary.

(1) Plates.—Plate electrodes should be buried from 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.5 m) underground. Placing of plates deeper
BURIED PLATES 35

than 8 feet (2.5 m) increases considerably the expense of the installation without any corresponding decrease in re- sistance in soils of uniform resistivity. In any case, however, the plates should be set below the permanent moisture

level. Plates may be set either flat or on edge. The latter form

| is preferable, although less common, as it usually requires

less excavation for the same average depth of setting and

results in better contact between both sides of the plate and

the soil. The shape of the plates should be long and narrow, both

because the soil resistance is then lowered for a given area

of plate and because excavation in the shape of trenches is usually more easily carried on than in the shape of rectangular wells, and this is of considerable importance in minimizing the cost of the work.

It has been found that there is no economy in the use of

plates of more than 20 square feet (1.9 sq. m). Where

two or more plates are set in parallel trenches, their separation

should be from 25 to 30 feet (7.5 to 9 m). j Buried plates are usually of copper or cast iron, the latter preferably galvanized.

(2) Strips.—Buried strip grounds are used when bedrock

is so near the surface of the ground that pipes or rods can

not be driven, and plates can not be set deep enough to make an effective ground. A buried strip is the same as a very narrow plate, but with this form of electrode it is found

that in soil of uniform resistivity there is little decrease in

resistance below a depth of about 3 feet (0.9 m). For best

economy, strips should not be more than about 20 feet

(6 m) long and should be laid as straight as possible. A

considerable ground area and system of buried conductors

is usually required with this form of electrode.
36 ARRESTER GROUNDS

(3) Other jorms.—Almost any metal object of proper size can be used as a buried electrode. In selecting and installing

such electrodes it should be borne in mind that the contact

resistance at the surface of the electrode is usually a very

small fraction of the total ground resistance, and, therefore,

any increase in the contact area by means of corrugations

or otherwise, has negligible effect on the total ground resist- ance. The soil resistance depends not on the contact area, but on the distribution of the current. 464. Separation of Grounds.

When artificial grounds are used it is advisable to connect

in parallel as many of the electrodes as possible, so as to obtain a lower resistance. It is bad practice, however, to interconnect the grounds of high tension and low tension

lightning arresters, or to interconnect the grounds of lightning

arresters and system or equipment grounds, excepting in

stations where the grounding system is extensive and all equipment frames and cases are interconnected with the

metal framework of the station.

For generating stations and substations the use of a ground

bus or its equivalent, grounded at more than one point, with

all metallic structures included connected to this ground bus

at various points, is recommended. All arrester and trans- former neutrals should be connected to the same bus. This

method establishes a metallic ground connection such that even if one of the individual grounding connections is lost,

the resistance to earth of the ground bus does not change

materially.

Where it is not desirable to ground the- cases of trans- formers, as with distribution pole-type service, it is not

economical to attempt any ground-bus scheme and, therefore,

it is desirable to keep the lightning-arrester grounds separate

between high and low tension sides of the transformer, and
SEPARATION OP GROUNDS 37

also separate from other grounds which may exist for other

purposes. The chief danger here which may arise from the

use of a common ground connection lies in the fact that at the time of discharge of the high-tension lightning arrester a dangerously high potential may be communicated to all metallic bodies connected to the same ground.

Where water-pipe systems are used as ground electrodes

there is no objection to connecting both lightning arresters and other equipment to the same water-pipe system, because

the resistance of the water-pipe system is very low and there

is little danger that its potential will become dangerously

high. Even in such cases, however, it is advisable to make

each connection to the water-pipe system by means of a

separate grounding conductor, and not to connect them by

a common conductor. Otherwise, if a common conductor

is broken, high potentials may be imparted to the other

equipment grouped or multipled on the same grounding

conductor.

The number of artificial grounds, minimum resistance,

accessibility of apparatus grounded, guards, maintenance;

tests, etc., is covered elsewhere in this report and in the National Electrical Safety Code. It is recommended that tests be made on a ground when installed, to ascertain whether the

resistance is lower than the maximum specified.

SEC. 47. TESTING OF LIGHTNING-ARRESTER GROUNDS

470. Resistance.

The importance of low-resistance grounds for lightning

arresters can not be over-emphasized. The protection

against over-voltage afforded a system is dependent on the

total impedance from the lines to be protected to the earth

itself, and the ground resistance constitutes the major part

f this impedance. Discharges of the order of hundreds of
38 TESTING GROUNDS

amperes being quite common, it is evident that high voltages

may develop between the arrester and earth even for

comparatively low ground resistances. The best arrester handicapped with a high-resistance ground will give only

poor protection. Moreover, a high-resistance ground may

cause high voltages to ground to appear on the grounding

wires, which will introduce a possible hazard to persons or apparatus in contact with the arrester or grounding conductor.

The maximum allowable ground resistance depends on

conditions, such as characteristics of the transmission line, arrester impedance, location of the ground in question on

the system, and density of installation of arresters. It is difficult to lay down any general rule for ground resistance,

each case requiring more or less individual treatment. The

best approximation to a general statement that can be made

is to say that the resistance should be low. If the number

of arresters for a given length of line is high, the ground

resistance may safely be higher, several grounds and arrest- ers acting in parallel to drain the voltage from the line. In order to be sure that the protection against lightning

is the best obtainable, it is essential to measure the resist- ance when the ground is made or shortly thereafter, and

advisable to check it periodically, besides making visual

inspections Mechanical injury or corrosion may entirely

destroy the protection. Yearly inspections are probably

sufficient for this class of service. Periodic measurements

of ground resistance are particularly important where a

salt is used to improve the ground in order to ascertain

whether and when the effects of the salt wear off. Tests

when the ground is made may indicate the advisability of

moving the connection to a different locality where better

soil conditions exist. There are several methods in use for measuring ground

resistance. Four of these are described below.
RESISTANCE 39

471. Precautions to be Taken in Measuring Grounds.

First, it is well to mention the general precautions which

must be observed in measuring the resistance of grounds.

It is advisable to use alternating currents for this purpose,

because direct current causes a polarizing action at the sur- face of the ground electrode, which introduces an error in

the observed measurements. However, if a direct voltage

of 100 or more is available, fairly accurate results may be

obtained, the error introduced by polarization usually

being not more than 4 or 5 volts. If direct current is used

and temporary auxiliary grounds are required, special

precautions must be observed in making these grounds,

as described under 474 below.

In order to carry out the required measurements, it is necessary to establish at least one other contact with the

earth. This may be an existing ground, such as a water-pipe

system, a bonded-rail system, or other grounds already

made. The resistance to ground of a large grounded system,

such as a water supply, is usually so small that it may be

neglected in comparison with the resistance of driven pipes

or driven plates. It is, therefore, a good auxiliary ground

to use, and, generally speaking, no correction need be applied

to the measurements for the resistance of a water pipe or of a bonded-rail ground. However, in using water-pipe grounds

it is nearly always necessary to connect to the system through

the medium of a service pipe, which may contain highresistance joints, although these are not met with frequently.

Moreover, where they are present they usually indicate

resistances which are obviously wrong. In this case the

measurements may be checked by connection to another

service pipe. If a bonded rail is used as an auxiliary ground,

measurements should not be made while a car is drawing

56337°—29 4
40 TESTING GBOUNDS

current through the rail. Of course, insulated sections of

track can not be used for this purpose.

If a water or bonded-rail system is not available for use

as an auxiliary ground, other existing grounds may be used,

provided they are not too close to the ground to be measured.

If there are no existing ground connections within reach,

temporary auxiliary grounds must be made. One or two

short pieces of pipe driven into the ground and soaked with

water will do. The following precautions should be observed

in making these auxiliary grounds. They should be sum- , ciently far from the ground on test and each other to avoid

introduction of misleading errors. The greater the separation

the better. Fifteen feet (4.5 m) as the minimum is recom- mended, although 6 feet (1.8 m) is permissible if the cir- cumstances are such that much time and labor will be saved

by using existing auxiliary grounds rather than new ones.

If direct current is used for making the measurements, more

care must be exercised in driving the auxiliary grounds than

when alternating current is used. The resistance of the

auxiliary grounds used for direct-current measurements

should be equal to or less than the resistance measured

because of the polarization effect mentioned above.

Care should be taken that no grounds exist on the circuit

from which energy is being drawn, while the measurements

are being made. This is one reason why a transformer is usually made use of to supply current for alternating-current

measurement of ground resistance.

When measuring station grounds, the test connection to

it should be made close to the ground electrode to avoid

interference with protective relays in its ground wires. If the station ground resistance is high and the test current is large, some of the measuring current may go up the ground

lead and out over the line to other grounds. It is always
RESISTANCE 41

preferable to isolate the ground to be tested from the system

if reliable results are desired. However, this is not always

possible in the case of station grounds, so in this case prudence should be exercised in choosing the value of measuring

current. This applies to ammeter-voltmeter methods only.

472. Method I (Ammeter-Voltmeter with Single Auxiliary

Ground).

The simplest method is available when there is accessible as an auxiliary ground a large grounded system, such as a water pipe or bonded rail. In this case all that is necessary

to obtain a reasonably accurate measurement of the resist- ance of the ground in question is to paps current through

both in series, measure the total voltage, and calculate the

resistance.

A modification of this scheme is shown in Figure 1 and

may be used where the water-pipe ground has appreciable

resistance. It requires an additional driven-pipe ground but

eliminates the inaccuracies due to high resistance of the

water-pipe ground.

473. Method II (Ammeter-Voltmeter Using Three Current

Terminals).

The second method of measuring ground resistance is called the ammeter-voltmeter method using three current

terminals. This is the most accurate procedure, especially

if alternating current is used. Connections are shown in

Figure 2. An insulating transformer is inserted so that

line grounds will not be included in the circuit. Two auxili- ary grounds must be used. Current is passed through each

pair of grounds connected in series and the voltage measured.

This will determine the resistance of the circuits Ru, R2s, Ru : Ri2 = r1 + r2 R23 ~ r2 ~t~ ^3 Rn = r1 + ri
42 TESTING GROUNDS

Knowing the value of Ru, R2i y Riz, we have three simultaneous equations with three unknowns which we can solve

for r1} r2 , r3 , one of which is the ground under test.

1

g

l

1 e The precautions above should be borne in mind. If accurate results are desired, the transformer used should

be capable of delivering a secondary voltage of approxi-
METHOD II 43

mately 100 volts, and should be equipped with taps for use

in measuring low-resistance grounds.

If only direct current is available for the above method,

good results may be obtained provided certain precautions

are observed to preclude errors which are negligible if alter- nating current and an insulating transformer are used. As
44 TESTING GROUNDS

stated above, 100 volts at least should be applied to decrease

the effect of polarization. However, this voltage will be

shared by two grounds in series. The division of voltage

may be such that the effects of polarization introduce considerable error. Therefore, it is important to exercise care

in making the auxiliary grounds. Also there must be no

grounds on the circuit from which energy is being drawn.

If such grounds exist, and can not be removed, the direct- current method described above must be avoided because

of the errors introduced by cross currents. The use of 100

volts introduces difficulties in the handling of the high

measuring current which will flow when low-resistance

grounds are measured.

The method indicated above requires a source of current,

and necessitates connections to that source of current. When

measuring lightning arrester grounds along a transmission

system low voltages are not always accessible, the available source often being only the transmission line to which connection is difficult. This source of current may be of several

different voltages so that different transformers would have

to be available for testing, depending on which line voltage is within reach.

474. Method III (Ammeter-Voltmeter with Battery and

Reversing Switch).

This method is outlined for use where great accuracy is not

required, but is satisfactory for determining whether the

ground is of the order of a few ohms or many. It permits the use of an entirely portable and self-contained outfit which

can easily be carried in an automobile.

This is entirely similar to Method II except that a battery

of about 24 volts is used as the source of current. The higher

the battery voltage the more accurate will be the results.
METHOD III 45

Twenty-four volts is, in general, sufficient. The circuit is as shown in Figure 3. Headings are taken with the switch in one position, then

the polarity is reversed and the reading repeated. The mean

of the two resistances thus obtained is taken as the resistance

of the circuit. The ground resistances, ru r2 , r3 , can then be

calculated as in Method II. This procedure overcomes in

part the effect of polarization. It has certain limitations and

LINE WIRES

J

i II Hill h

Figure 3.

Use of battery and reversing switch too great reliance should not be placed on the results. The

method requires a certain skill and technique, if even passable

accuracy is desired. The readings should be taken as soon

after the closing of the switch as possible and the switch then

opened. Current should not be permitted to flow for any

appreciable length of time before the meters are read. If this precaution is observed, it is possible to get the necessary

data before polarization has gone very far. If a water-pipe
46 TESTING GROUNDS

or bonded-rail system is available for use as an auxiliaryground, the procedure may be simplified to a method similar

to Method I. This method should give results that are accurate within

10 or 12 per cent except in the case of very low ground

resistances in the order of 1 or 2 ohms, in which case the per- centage error will be greater. However, the method is generally satisfactory for determining whether a lightning arrester ground is good or bad. The fact that the apparatus is self- contained and portable and that it avoids the danger of false results due to grounds on the supply circuit recommends it. 475. Method IV (Bridge with Alternating Current).

This apparatus may be portable and self-contained. The

results do not require as much calculation as in the foregoing

method. The circuit is shown in Figure 4. The apparatus

consists of a dry-cell feeding the primary of a small step-up

transformer through a buzzer. Alternating current is thus

induced in the secondary and applied to the current terminals

of the bridge and grounds. A telephone receiver is used in

place of a galvanometer to obtain balance of the bridge. The

sensitivity of the receiver should be rather low, because it is then less responsive to disturbing stray currents. The bridge

should preferably be a portable one. An outfit as used for

locating faults in a line by the Murray or Varley loop tests may be used. The buzzer should preferably be of the type

used in radio telegraphy. The size of the transformer is unimportant except that it should be as small as possible for the

sake of portability. A ratio of 1 to 10 is preferable, but other

ratios may be used. The procedure is the same as in Method

III, two auxiliary grounds ordinarily being used. The resis- tance of each pair in series is measured and the resistance of

the ground in question calculated.
METHOD IV 47

If a water-pipe or bonded-rail ground is available for use

as an auxiliary, the resistance may be measured in a manner

similar to Method I.

The method here described has the following advantages

The source of energy constitutes a part of the apparatus and

is small. The complete outfit is low in weight, easily port-
48 TESTING GROUNDS

able, and rugged. Where much testing is to be done, a permanent set-up can be made. The results require less calculations than ammeter-voltmeter schemes.

The disadvantages of the method should be noted. Stray- currents in the earth may cause so much noise in the telephone

receiver that a balance can not be obtained. If care is taken

to disconnect the ground being measured from all electrical

circuits, the chances of difficulties from this source are reduced. If the ground connection is attached to a circuit of considerable extent, or if a long wire is necessary to reach

the auxiliary ground, inductance and capacity effects may

make it extremely difficult to obtain balance of the bridge.

The method requires that a certain amoimt of pains be

taken in making the measurements. Familiarity with the

apparatus and a certain technique are required if results are

to be obtained in the minimum time.

476. Comparison of Methods.

The question arises as to which of the above-described

methods is the preferable one. When accurate results are desired, Method II using alter- nating current is undoubtedly the best. It has certain

drawbacks, and on extensive systems is rather troublesome.

Where the system is concentrated and low-voltage distri- bution is everywhere available it is to be preferred over the

others. It is particularly useful in measuring station grounds

in which case the set-up can be made very easily.

When the system is extensive, and many grounds must be

checked, particularly at remote points, portability and ease

of making the test are prime requisites. Where the desired

accuracy is not too great, and results within 10 per cent of correct value are generally sufficiently reliable for the resis- tance of lightning-arrester grounds, Method III or IV is to be

recommended.
COMPARISON OF METHODS 49

The apparatus used in Method IV is the most portable of

all, but, as indicated, it has certain limitations. It is usually inapplicable to measuring station grounds which must

be left on the line, because of noise in the telephone receiver.

For measuring only hghtning-arrester grounds which can be

isolated from the line, and when a large number of grounds

f are to be checked, Method IV works out satisfactorily. The

apparatus is more expensive than that required for Method

III unless a portable bridge is already part of the operating

company's equipment.

Where all sorts of grounds must be checked, Method III is probably to be preferred, because the apparatus is portable,

rugged, and easily handled after a little practice. Every

operating company has meters which may be used in this

set-up, so that only the outlay for the battery is required.

Several portable ground-testing instruments are available

for making a comparatively rapid measurement of ground

resistance. These are of the bridge or ohmmeter type. They

require auxiliary reference grounds, as do the previously

described methods, but possess the advantages of portability, direct indication of resistance, and safety. The

instruments make use, in general, of either Method II or Method IV. For a thorough detailed discussion of grounds, reference is made in general to section 46, and the bibliography contained in Appendix B, and specifically to Technologic

Paper No. 108 of the Bureau of Standards entitled "Ground

Connections for Electrical Systems/' by O. S. Peters.
PROTECTION OF COMMUNICATION AND SIGNALING

CIRCUITS AND EQUIPMENT

INTRODUCTION

Need of Protection.

Potentials greatly in excess of the normal working voltages may be impressed upon communication and signal

circuits as a result of lightning. This is particularly true of

circuits in which aerial conductors of considerable length,

not in cables, are used. Conductors in metal-sheathed

cables, which have no connections with aerial wire, are so

well shielded that Hghtning effects upon them are usually

negligible.

If protective devices were not employed, the presence of these abnormal potentials would be liable to result in injury

to persons using or working upon the circuits, or damage to the plant through breakdown of insulation. In some cases the latter result may lead to property losses by fire. It has, therefore, become the general practice to provide on communication circuits protective devices designed to minimize hghtning effects. Such protection is, of course, provided only on circuits which include sections upon which

abnormal potentials due to lightning are likely to be impressed. The protector is usually located at the junction

of the exposed line with the plant to be protected.

SEC. 50. SCOPE, ETC.

500. Scope and Purpose.

This part of the report deals with the protection against

lightning of all circuits, and all apparatus connected to

50
SCOPE AND PURPOSE 51

circuits, used for general communication and signaling purposes. Its scope is limited to the location and method of

installing protective equipment irrespective of the method of operation.

The purpose is to set forth means and methods whereby the

hazard to life and property and the interruption of communication due to lightning may be minimized.

SEC. 51. FORM OF PROTECTORS AND METHODS OF USE

510. Form of Protectors. Lightning protectors for communication circuits are constructed upon the principle of providing, in parallel with the

portion of the plant to be protected, a path of such electrical characteristics that, under the pressure of abnormal potentials,

it will carry a large proportion of the resulting current. The protectors are, of course, so constructed that under

normal conditions they do not divert the operating currents from their normal paths.

The type of protector most commonly used on communication circuits is the spark gap, consisting essentially of two

electrodes insulated from each other, with a space between

them of such dimensions that sparks will pass from one

to the other when the potential difference exceeds a given

value. In the most generally used form of protector the

spark passes through an air space between the electrodes,

while in another class of protector the sparking occurs

across a partial vacuum. The materials used for the elec- trodes and their shapes and dimensions vary widely in the

many different forms of spark-gap protectors.

Another type of protector that has been used to a limited extent is based upon the use of a material having a critical voltage-resistance characteristic; that is, the material in

question must have a very high resistance at the voltage
52 COMMUNICATION" CIRCUITS

used for the operation of the system and a much lower

resistance at higher voltages.

511. Connections of Protectors. One of the two electrodes is connected to a conductor of the circuit to be protected, and the other electrode is con- nected to a " ground" consisting of some metallic object or

structure which is in good electrical contact with the earth.

512. Additional Features. The protectors used on communication circuits frequently

include fuses or similar devices in addition, but these additional features are not employed for the purpose of protecting against lightning. Their use is due to the fact that in

well-settled communities circuits which are exposed to lightning usually are subject also to accidental contacts with

electric light or power circuits carrying voltages in excess

of the operating potential of the spark gaps on the communication circuits. As a result of a contact of that kind, a

sufficiently heavy current might flow through the device to destroy it and, perhaps, start a fire. To avoid this possibility, it is common practice to insert in the circuit, between

the exposed wire and the spark gap, a fuse which will function to open the circuit when traversed by any current large

enough to create such hazard.

SEC. 52. RADIO EQUIPMENT

520. Accident Prevention.

The following rules are quoted from part 5 of the 1926

edition of the National Electrical Safety Code, A. S. A.-C 2, and apply to receiving stations and to transmitting stations

of low and medium power. Requirements for making

ground connections for the grounding conductor are given

in sections 9 and 56 of that code, and are not repeated here.
EADIO EQUIPMENT 53

551. The protective grounding conductor may be used

also as the operating grounding conductor.

552. The protective grounding conductor for receiving

stations shall not be smaller than the lead-in conductor.

The operating and protective grounding conductors for

transmitting stations shall have strength and conductance

per unit length not less than No. 14 A. W. G. (0.064 inch)

hard-drawn copper.

553. Grounding conductors shall be run in as straight a

line as possible from the set or the protective device to a good permanent ground. Grounding conductors may be

run either inside or outside of the building.

Recommendation.—It is recommended that the protective grounding

wire for low and medium-power transmitting stations be run outside

of the buildings.

Grounding conductors shall be guarded where exposed to mechanical injury. Grounding conductors may be of insulated or bare wire and need not be run on insulating supports.

571. Each lead-in conductor of a receiving station shall be provided with a lightning arrester, whether or not an

antenna grounding switch is used. The lightning arrester

shall be such as to operate at a potential of 500 volts or less. The arrester may be located outside the building as near

as practicable to the point of entrance, or inside the building

between the point of entrance and the receiving set and

convenient to a ground. The arrester shall not be placed

in the immediate vicinity of easily ignitible material or in a location exposed to dust, inflammable gases, or flyings of

combustible materials.

572. An antenna grounding switch shall be used at low

and medium-power transmitting stations to connect the

lead-in conductors to the grounding conductor whenever

the station is not in use. An antenna grounding switch
54 RADIO EQUIPMENT

is not required at receiving stations, but may be used in

addition to the lightning arrester. When in the grounding

position, the switch shall short circuit the lightning arrester. 521. Fire Prevention.

The following rules are quoted from article 37 of the 1928

edition of the National Electrical Code. Section 3702

applies to receiving stations and section 3703 to trans- mitting stations.

3702 j. If fuses are used, they shall not be placed in the

circuit from the antenna through the protective device to ground.

3703 g. A double-throw knife switch having a break

distance of at least 4 inches and a blade not less than 3^8 by Y2 inch, or a flexible grounding lead and clamp in place

of this switch, shall be used to join the antenna and counterpoise lead-in to the grounding conductor. The switch or

flexible grounding lead may be located inside or outside

the building. The base of the switch shall be of nonabsorptive insulating material. The switch or flexible grounding lead shall be so mounted that its current-carrying

parts will be at least 3 inches clear of the building wall or other conductors in the case of continuous-wave sets of 1,000 watts and less, and in all other cases at least 5 inches.

The conductor from grounding switch or flexible grounding

lead to ground shall be securely supported.

It is recommended that the switch be located in the most direct

line between the lead-in conductors and the point where grounding

connection is made.

3703 I. When necessary to protect the supply system

from high-potential surges and kick-backs there shall be

installed in the supply line as near as possible to each radio

transformer, rotary spark gap, motor and generator in
RADIO EQUIPMENT 55

motor-generator sets and other auxiliary apparatus one

of the following:^

(1) Two condensers (each of not less than %o microfarad capacity and capable of withstanding 600-volt test)

in series across the line with mid-point between condensers

grounded; across (in parallel with) each of these condensers

shall be connected a shunting fixed spark gap capable of not more than inch separation.

(2) Two vacuum-tube-type protectors in series across the

line with the mid-point grounded.

(3) Lightning arresters, such as the aluminum-cell type.

56337°—29 -5

*
Appendix A.—LIGHTNING ; ITS ORIGIN, CHARACTERISTICS, AND EFFECTS

The term " lightning " is applied to certain types of heavy

electrical discharges in the atmosphere. Within a comparatively recent period its meaning was extended to include a

variety of overvoltage phenomena arising in the operation

of electric circuits, but owing to the resulting confusion this use of the term is no longer considered desirable. The fol- lowing discussion will be confined to atmospheric electric discharges, chief attention being given to the kind known

as " streak " lightning or, to use a less scientific term,

" chain " lightning, as it is this that causes damage and

injury.

The necessity for protection against lightning was recog- nized during the earlier periods of recorded history. The

devices and methods then used, however, were characteristic

of the times. They consisted chiefly in exorcisms by the

priesthood, the wearing of holy charms, the ringing of

church bells that had been especially dedicated to the purpose, and the torture and burning of persons suspected of

witchcraft. The latter were believed to be able to summon

storms at will by reason of their being in league with demons

and evil spirits.1 The origin of such beliefs was in the abyss

of superstition and fear which formerly engulfed almost

the entire human race and from which a considerable

portion has not yet emerged.

Deliverance in this particular from the thralldom of

imaginary demons, witches, and angry gods came during the

i J. C. Shedd, Proc. Colo. Sci. Soc, 8, p. 387 ; 1907. 50
TYPES OF LIGHTNING 57

period 1749-1752 with the invention by Benjamin Franklin of

the lightning conductor, and his proof by means of his kite

experiments of the identity of lightning with the electric spark. This work of Franklin marks one of the definite

points of departure from a line of reasoning which ascribed

all natural phenomena to capricious supernatural interven-

\ tion and gave an impetus to logical inquiry into the laws of

nature. Such inquiry, however, has progressed but slowly

with respect to lightning flashes, only a few roughly quantitative measurements having been made, and these in very

recent times. Nevertheless, the results now available enable

us to estimate the magnitude of the quantities involved, and

much has been gained from laboratory and field work in

protection of property. It is the purpose here to summarize the existing information and attempt to distinguish

between what is known and what is purely speculative.

Sources of Lightning.

The chief source of lightning is the familiar summer

thunderstorm, which derives its name from the sounds re- sulting from its electrical discharges. Lightning has also

been observed in the dust, steam, and gas clouds arising from

volcanoes in eruption, in the dust clouds of deserts, and in

clear skies, probably from charged bodies of air which

drifted near each other or near the earth. In addition, there

are silent luminous discharges within cloud layers and haze

which have been observed at all times of the year, especially

in regions where thunderstorms are scarce. TYPES OF LIGHTNING

The most familiar type is streak lightning. Variations of

this, but not distinct types in themselves, are ribbon, rocket,

and bead lightning, and also forked and zigzag lightning.
58 APPENDIX A

Other types more rarely observed than streak lightning are

ball or globular lightning and sheet lightning.

Streak Lightning.

Streak lightning exhibits a white or pink path of comparatively small diameter, from an inch to a foot apparently, and

of a length which may be from a fraction of a mile to several

miles, depending upon the conditions of the discharge. The

path in many cases is sinuous and forked with extensive

ramifications, while in others it appears as a single streak,

the ramified forks being absent or invisible. The streak

lightning of a thunderstorm may occur within a cloud, between separate clouds, between clouds and earth, or between

a cloud and surrounding air. It is invariably accompanied

by thunder of greater or less intensity. In the majority of

cases its duration is very short, although there is a wide variation in the duration and intensity of streak-lightning

flashes, which is discussed in greater detail later. Ribbon Lightning.

Occasionally a flash of streak lightning appears as a number of more or less distinct parallel streaks, to which the name " ribbon lightning " has been given by reason of its appearance. What seems to be a satisfactory explanation is given by photographs of lightning flashes. It has been

shown that most streak discharges consist of several successive discharges, which have appreciable time intervals

between them. It has also been shown that in the intervals

between discharges the path may be shifted by the wind

through considerable distances. Thus, several successive dis- charges displaced in space may, on account of persistence of

vision, appear as parallel streaks.
TYPES OF LIGHTNING 59

Rocket Lightning.

The term " rocket lightning " has been applied to streak

discharges occasionally seen, the growth of which is so slow

as to appear like a rocket. It may occur between clouds and

earth, within clouds, or between clouds and surrounding air. In one case at least it has been observed between clouds and

| upper atmosphere.2 It has been explained as the discharge,

under certain conditions, of a positively charged cloud.3 Bead Lightning.

In this the path of the discharge appears as a string of

luminous globes or beads, separated by darker intervals. It is rarely observed, especially in pronounced form. Several explanations of this phenomenon have been offered. One is that it is due to variations of the path of the dis- charge with respect to the line of sight. Another that striae of haze obscure portions of the path. A third is that it is a combination of streak and globe lightning.4 Forked Lightning.

This refers to the branching of the streak discharge at its lower end in some cases, which results in its striking two or more objects at the same time. Thus two trees, or a tree and

a house, some distance apart, may be damaged by the same

stroke. Zigzag Lightning.

This refers to streak discharges which assume an ex- tremely sinuous path. In some cases, because of the rela- tion of the line of sight to the path, it appears to describe a loop. Such discharges present altogether different appearances from different points of observation.

2 Nature, 68, p. 599 ; 1903.

S G. C. Simpson, Proc. Royal Soc, 111, p. 56 ; 1926.

* Sci. Amer., 106, p. 587 ; 1912. Humphreys, Physics of the Air, p. 351.
60 APPENDIX A

Globular Lightning.

The term "globular lightning" is applied to the second

distinct type which consists of the luminous globes, or globular-shaped masses, sometimes seen during thunderstorms to move along the ground, about objects resting on

the ground, or through the air, in a manner quite inexplicable to the observer. These globes seem in some cases to explode with a loud noise and cause serious damage.

They are held by some to be an optical illusion arising from

persistence of vision which causes one to see a ball of fire in any position toward which the eye is directed after a particularly brilliant flash of streak lightning. This ex- planation can hardly be accepted, however, in view of a number of observations where persistence of vision did not seem to be a factor. It is now conceded that globular lightning, or something resembling it, actually exists on rare

occasions. Dr. Walther Brand, of Marburg, Germany, has

assembled 600 accounts of ball lightning, of which 215 are

sufficiently detailed and accurate to be worthy of study.

From these he has summarized the characteristics of this

singular phenomenon but does not attempt to explain it. It is thought to be a more than ordinarily brilliant brush

discharge moving along a path of low dielectric strength

in the storm's electric field, probably immediately preceding

or following streak lightning, which would account for the

apparent explosions. It is now known that the electric

fields of thunderstorms are of sufficient strength to cause such discharges, especially beneath the center of greatest

electrical activity.5

5 H. Norinder, Electric Thunderstorm Researches : Elect. World, 83, p. 223

1924.
TYPES OF LIGHTNING 61

Sheet Lightning.

The proper application of this term is to the silent dis- charges occasionally observed in clouds and haze, which

constitute a third distinct type of lightning. These dis- charges appear to be somewhat similar to the brush dis- charge of the laboratory but are of white color usually, and

\ on a vast scale. In some cases great areas of the sky glow

momentarily, and sometimes intermittently, with sufficient brightness to arrest the attention. The proper application

of the term is significant, because the discharge appears to occur as a sheet, although actually it is most likely a volume

effect. It is distinguished from the aurora by the fact that

it takes place in the cloud layers, whereas the aurora is observed only in the rarefied upper atmosphere where clouds

do not form. The phenomenon may be observed at times

in winter on cloudy nights. It also occurs at other times of

year, especially in regions where streak lightning is rare, and occasionally in the wake of cyclonic thunderstorms.

The term " sheet lightning," or, more popularly, " heat

lightning," is erroneously applied to the illumination aris- ing from streak lightning, the source of which is invisible on

account of cloud banks, or being below the horizon, and so distant that the thunder either can not be heard or comes too

late to be associated in the mind of the observer with the

illumination. Sheet lightning is readily distinguished from

the illumination of streak lightning by its persistence and its relatively slow variation of intensity.

Nothing beyond speculation is offered to account for glow

discharges in clouds, but possible causes are these: (1) The

agglomeration of charged vapor particles to form water

drops by which means the potential of the drops is raised to a

point where a coronal discharge occurs to the surrounding

air. (2) The changing of charged vapor particles to snow
62 APPENDIX A

crystals or ice particles which increases potential due to agglomeration and at the same time produces shapes which

facilitate discharge. (3) The drifting of charged masses of

vapor or ice particles from regions where the potential is high to regions where the potential is lower. The charge

in the case of glow discharges is most likely negative, because,

as indicated by Simpson (I. <?.), discharges from negatively

charged clouds are likely to be of this character.

St. Elmo's Fire.

This consists of silent discharges at the surface of the

earth which appear as blue flamelike brushes at the tips of

various pointed objects. It occurs most frequently in dry

regions on the approach of storms, and also on mountain

tops, especially if it is cold and dry. It is not confined to these places, however, as it occurs at sea on the masts and

rigging of ships. It is not to be regarded as a type of lightning, although it may attend lightning storms. CHARACTERISTICS AND EFFECTS

From the point of view of protective measures streak

lightning is the only kind that needs consideration, since the

others are rare in occurrence or harmless. Streak lightning,

however, causes considerable damage and loss of life, especially in those regions where thunderstorms are frequent and

severe. Its potentialities for damage are dependent upon the

electrical characteristics which it has in common with elec- trical discharges produced in the laboratory—viz, current,

voltage, and time—and their combination in power to cause

explosion and energy to cause heat. Of these factors the

maximum current and its duration determine its fusing or

igniting effects, while the steepness of the wave front deter- mines the extent of its secondary or induced effects. The

voltage gradient very largely determines the extent of its
CHARACTERISTICS OF LIGHTNING 63

effects on electric-power transmission and communication

circuits. Of less importance from the point of view of protection, but nevertheless of considerable interest, are the fol- lowing: The magnitude of the total voltage involved,

whether the discharge is oscillatory or damped to such an

extent as to make it a single impulse, and the cause of the

noise and light. These characteristics are discussed here

under the following headings : Source of static charge, volt- age, energy, maximum current, wave front and duration,

induced effects, thunder, illumination, character of damage,

effects on persons, and thunderstorm data.

SOURCE OF STATIC CHARGE

The work of G. C. Simpson 6 at the Meteorological Office of the Government of India, Simla, gave results which form

a basis for an explanation in part at least of the mechanism

by which the separation of electric charges in thunderstorms

is produced. Two lines of research were adopted: (1) A

systematic record was obtained by means of self-registering

instruments of the electricity brought down by the rain

throughout one rainy season; (2) laboratory experiments were made with the object of determining the source of the

electricity of thunderstorms.

The chief results of the first part of the work may be

briefly summarized as follows: The aggregate amount of

rain which fell during the periods of rainfall investigated was 30.04 inches (76.3 cm). The total quantity of positive

electricity which fell on each square centimeter of surface was 22.3 electrostatic units, and of negative electricity 7.6 units; thus 75 per cent of the electricity brought down by

the rain was positive. During 71 per cent of the time that

« Trans. Royal Soc, 209, p. 279 ; 1909.
64 APPENDIX A

charged rain fell the charge was positive. Considering that

falling rain carrying a positive charge is equivalent to a

positive current and rain carrying a negative charge to a negative current, then positive currents greater than 300 X

10-15 ampere per square centimeter were measured in six

storms and negative currents of greater than 300 X10-15 ampere per square centimeter in two storms. In seven storms it was found that the rain carried positive

charges greater than six electrostatic units per cubic centimeter of water, and in two storms negative charges greater

than this amount were recorded. The heavier the rainfall

the more the positively charged rain preponderated over

the negatively charged rain, and all rainfall having a greater

rate than a millimeter in two minutes was positively charged.

Light rain was more highly charged than heavy rain. The

proportion of negative electricity brought down by the rain was slightly greater in the second than in the first half of

the storm. The potential gradient was more often negative 7 than positive during rain. No relationship between the

sign of the potential gradient and the sign of the electricity

of the rain could be detected.

The laboratory experiments showed that when a large

drop of water is broken up into small drops in air the water

becomes positively and the air negatively charged. In the

first series of experiments drops of water having a volume

of 0.24 cc fell on a vertical jet of air which broke them up

into smaller drops. Under these circumstances the water of

each drop, after having been broken up on the jet, carried a charge of 5.2 X10-3 electrostatic unit of positive electricity.

7 Negative potential gradient in the atmosphere exists when the potential of a point decreases with increasing vertical distance from the earth, as would he

the case with a negatively charged cloud and a positive charge on the earth

beneath. Positive potential gradient is found under the opposite condition of a positive cloud and a corresponding negative charge on the earth.
SOURCE OF STATIC CHARGE 65

Further, the presence of an original charge on the drops did

not alter the effect. Drops originally charged positively

had their charges increased, and drops charged negatively

had their charges decreased.

In the second series of experiments water was introduced

through two small tubes into a vertical current of air which

carried the water upward. Part of that which escaped from

the air current was caught in an insulated vessel and was

found to be positively charged, the charge being 15X10"3 electrostatic units per cubic centimeter of water. In the third series of experiments drops of water were

broken up in a manner similar to that employed in the first series, but within a compartment from which the air could

be drawn through an Ebert apparatus. .It was shown that

the breaking up of the drops caused an ionization of the

air. The breaking of each drop released 3.3 X10"3 electrostatic unit of free negative ions and 1.1X10-3 electrostatic

unit of free positive ions. The excess of negative ions, or

2.2 XlO-3 electrostatic unit, corresponds to the positive

charge retained by the water. The discrepancy between

2.2 X 10"3 and 5.2 X 10*3 as given previously is accounted for

by the author by the fact that parts of the ions were discharged to the walls of the Ebert apparatus.

In 1904 Professor Lenard 8 proved that drops of water

which have a diameter greater than 5.5 mm are unstable

when falling through air and rapidly break up into smaller

drops. He also proved that the final velocity of any drop

which has a diameter less than 5.5 mm does not exceed 8 m

per second when falling through still air of normal density.

Thus, no water can fall through an ascending current of air

of normal density which has a velocity of 8 m per second or more, for all drops less than 5.5 mm in diameter are carried

8 Meteor, Zeit, 21, p. 249 ; 1904,
66 APPENDIX A

upward, and all drops of larger diameter are quickly broken

up into smaller drops. These facts, together with the results of the observations and experiments described above, have

led to the formation of the following theory for the origin of

the electrical separation of thunderstorms.

It is probable that in all thunderstorms there are upward

currents of velocities greater than 8 m per second. Such

currents support large amounts of water which can not fall through the ascending air. Hence, as the top of the vertical,

air current is approached where its upward velocity greatly

decreases due to the lateral outflow, there will be an accumulation of water in the form of drops which are continually

going through the process of growing from small drops into

drops large enough to be broken. Each time a drop breaks a separation of electricity takes place, the water receiving a

positive charge and the air a corresponding negative charge.

The moving air carries away the negative ions but leaves the

positively charged water behind.

A given mass of water may be broken up many times before it finally falls to the ground and, consequently, may

obtain a high positive charge. When it finally reaches the

ground it is recognized as positively charged rain. The ions

which travel with the moving air are rapidly absorbed by

the cloud particles in the upper part of the cloud, and in

time this would become highly charged with negative electricity. Now, within a highly electrified cloud there may be

combination of the water drops and from it considerable

rain may fall at certain stages of the storm. This rain will

be negatively charged, and under suitable conditions both

the charges on the rain and the rate of rainfall could be

large.

A rough quantitative analysis shows that the order of

magnitude of the electric charges produced by the breaking
SOURCE OF STATIC CHARGE 67

of a drop of water is sufficient to account for the electrical

effects observed in the most violent thunderstorms. All of

the results of the observations of the electricity of rain described above are capable of explanation by the theory,

which also agrees well with the actual meteorological phe- nomena and is quite generally accepted. It is thought by

some that, while precipitation is the primary cause of the

separation of electricity, the action, instead of being due to separation into parts of water drops, is similar to that of

the influence machine.9 Electrification of clouds, however, has been observed where

vertical convection and rapid condensation did not occur. According to Simpson 10 these phenomena can be accounted

for by an extension of his theory. It has been shown that

electrification can be produced by the separation of almost

any substance. Thus, in duststorms and snowstorms separation takes place by collision and abrasion between particles

in much the same way as in the breaking of water drops,

which leads to electrification, with the attendant phenomena.

It is rare that electrification of this type produces lightning,

because separation of charges does not occur, although it may occur in the case of a snowstorm accompanied by soft

hail, because the hailstones acquire a high charge in their

downward course by collision with snowflakes and take their

charges with them to the ground.

VOLTAGE

The voltage of lightning discharges—that is, the difference

in potential between the points marking the extreme ends of

the path of the discharge immediately preceding its occur9 Elster and Geitel, Wied. Ann., 25, p. 116; 1885. Physikal Zeit., 14, p. 1287 ; 1913. Geitel, Physikal. Zeit., 17, p. 455 ; 1916. "Nature (London), 112, pp. 727-728; 1923.
68 APPENDIX A

rence—has long been a matter of conjecture. The nearest approximation so far made to the voltage of a lightning flash places it at about 100,000 volts per foot. This value was

obtained by comparing the induced voltage on a model trans- mission line, where the total voltage was known to be

2,000,000, with induced voltages from lightning measured on an actual transmission line.11 Other experiments indicate

that at the most intense part of the electric field of a thunderstorm the electric intensity approaches the limiting value at which coronal discharges begin.12 Hence, it appears that for a discharge a mile in length the potential difference at the

beginning of the discharge is of the order of 5X108 volts. A comprehensive series of measurements of the changes in

potential gradient near the surface of the earth has been

made by C. T. R. Wilson.18 During the years 1914, 1915,

and 1917 records were obtained during 864 discharges. The

discharge was between negative cloud and positive earth in

528 of these, or at least of a kind to cause a change in potential gradient at the instrument of the same nature. This

predominance of discharges with the cloud negative appears

not to be in accord with the observations of Simpson, who

found the cloud usually positive, but the latter drew his

conclusions from photographs of flashes to earth, while in

Wilson's case flashes from cloud to cloud were included.

From the magnitude of the change in potential gradient,

and the distance between instrument and path of discharge,

it was estimated that the average value for the quantity of

electricity involved was 20 coulombs. (A change of about

U F. W. Peek, jr., High-Voltage Phenomena: J. Franklin Inst., 197, p. 1;

1924.

12 H. Norinder, Electric Thunderstorm Field Researches : Elect. World, S3,

p. 223 ; 1924.

13 Proc. Royal Soc. of London, 92, p. 555 ; 1916. Phil. Trans, of Royal Soc, 221, p. 73 ; 1920.
VOLTAGE 69

15,000 volts per meter was observed at a distance of 5 km.)

If this amount of charge is distributed through a spherical mass of cloud with a radius of 250 meters it would produce an electric field of nearly 30,000 volts per cm at its surface

and would have a potential of about 109 volts. This electric

field is the limiting value at which air breaks down when the

field is uniform, and it will break down at lower values where

the field is nonuniform, as near surfaces having curves of

short radius.

If a voltage of this value produces a discharge over a path

2 km long, the average gradient is much less than the above

critical value. It does not seem necessary for the gradient to equal the critical value over the entire path for a discharge to

start. Starting at the point of intense field local breakdown

causes a readjustment of the field, which leads to progressive

breakdown along the entire path.

In Norinder's observations gradients as large as 100,000

volts per meter were recorded at points closer to the dis- charge.

ENERGY

The total energy dissipated by a flash of lightning may

be roughly estimated in various ways. An estimate by Peek

from his measurements of lightning voltages places the

energy at 1.3 X107 watt-seconds.

Another estimate has been made by Wilson in connection

with the work mentioned in the preceding section, where the

quantity of electricity discharged by a lightning flash was

found to be 20 coulombs and the voltages 109

, which gives

for the energy 1010 watt-seconds, or nearly one thousand

times as much as that estimated by Peek.

The discrepancy between these two estimates may in part

be attributed to the fact that most lightning flashes consist
70 APPENDIX A

of several separate discharges along the same path, usually

1 to 10, and in one instance at least as many as 40. The esti- mate based on the voltage would take account only of a

single discharge, and thus the 107 watt-seconds found in

this manner should, perhaps, be multiplied by the number

of separate discharges that constitute the entire flash or

else a larger cloud area considered.14 On the other hand, the estimate based on the quantity of

electricity takes account of the total change of electrical condition, but, as pointed out heretofore, 109 volts may be

too high, in which case the energy would be less. It seems

not unreasonable to take 108 to 109 watt-seconds as the

order of magnitude of the energy of a lightning flash. It is interesting to note that where lightning flashes occur

at intervals of one second or less, as they may in severe cyclonic thunderstorms which cover a large area, an energy

dissipation of 109 watt-seconds for each flash means that the

power being dissipated is around 1,000,000 kilowatts. This

is an impressive value, and the question may be raised as to the source of the energy. The most probable source is the

vertical convection, the gravitational process so pronounced

during the thunderstorm, which results in excessive con- densation accompanied by electrical separation. An idea of

the power involved can be gained from a consideration of the

rainfall. In a heavy storm a rainfall at a rate of 10 cm per hour is not unusual, and at this rate the power derived from the fall- ing water, taking the height of fall as 1 km, would be

3X1015 ergs per second per km2

, or 1,000,000 kw for about

3 km2

. Thus, a rainfall of the foregoing amount over an

area of 3 km2 would involve sufficient power to produce a

flash per second. The total power available for the produc14 Trans. Roy. Soc, 221, p. 73 ; 1920-21.
ENERGY 71

tion of lightning flashes may obviously greatly exceed the

estimate based on the rainfall. MAXIMUM CURRENT

What appears to be the first work on current intensities of

lightning flashes was done by F. Pockels,15 who made use in

his measurements of some of the peculiar magnetic properties of basalt, and at the same time assumed that lightning

discharges are unidirectional. In the course of some laboratory experiments Pockels found that for unidirectional

magnetic fields the residual magnetism of prisms of nepheline basalt depended neither on the duration nor the time

variation of the field, but only on its maximum value. Basalt

consists of crystals of magnetite distributed through a badly

conducting mineral medium, and it is upon this formation

that its peculiar magnetic property depends, there being no eddy currents set up in it by a varying magnetic field which

would retard the magnetization of the specimen. A magnetic field lasting only about one-millionth of a second

showed the same residual and probably also the same temporary magnetization as was induced by a field kept up in- definitely at the same strength. This being the case, the

residual magnetization of the basalt might be taken as a measure of the maximum magnetic field to which it had been

subjected and, consequently, to the maximum value of the

magnetizing current. In order to test the method, Pockels discharged condensers

of known capacities which had been charged to known differ- ences of potential through magnetizing circuits of known

resistance and self-induction, the constants of the circuit « Ann. Phys. Chem., G3, p. 195, 1897 ; Ann. Phys. Chem., 65, pt. 2, p. 458, 1898 ; Phys. Zeit, 3, p. 306, 1900. 56337°—29 6
72 APPENDIX A

having been chosen to give a highly damped discharge. He

then calculated the maximum value of the current by means

of the constants of the circuit and compared them with the

values determined from the residual magnetization. The

resistance of the spark gap was neglected in making these

calculations, but the results agreed very well in the two

cases. The results of these experiments were made use of by

Pockels in making an approximate determination of the current intensity of lightning flashes, assuming, as pre- viously stated, that the discharge in a flash of lightning

is unidirectional. The first measurements were made on

specimens cut from outcroppings of basalt rock which

showed irregular and local magnetization which could only

be due to lightning flashes. Knowing the strength of the

field necessary to produce the residual magnetism shown

by the specimens, only the distance to the path of the flash was necessary to make a rough determination of the current. This distance was in some cases assumed to be the distance to the surface of the rock; in others a damaged tree was

assumed to give the necessary evidence. One estimate made

by assuming the distance to the flash to be the distance to the surface of the rock led to a minimum of 2,900 amperes

as the current intensity ; three others, on specimens obtained

from the vicinity of damaged trees, gave 6,400, 6,600, and

10,000 amperes, respectively. These values are probably too

small, because of the period of time which elapsed between

the time of the flash and the time of making the measure- ments and also because of the disturbance of the basalt in

cutting it out. Other observations were made on basalt prisms exposed

in the vicinity of a branch of the lightning conductor on

the observation tower on Mount Cimone, in the Appenines.
MAXIMUM CURRENT 73

One of the prisms which had been placed at a distance of

6.4 cm from the conductor and had been subjected once to the magnetizing effects of a lightning stroke gave i= 10,200

amperes. A second prism, which had been subjected to the magnetizing effects of four strokes, gave ^=5,530. A

third prism was only slightly magnetic. There were two

ground connections to the lightning conductor, so it is quite probable that the current divided symmetrically. The

total currents in the two cases were, therefore, 20,000 and

11,000 amperes, respectively. These values are doubtless also too small, because the prisms were not examined until several

months after having been exposed and were subjected to some vibration in the meantime.

Another method of arriving at an estimate of the current

intensity of a lightning flash is to calculate it from the total quantity of electricity discharged as found, by Wilson and

make assumptions as to the duration and number of dis- charges per flash. The quantity may be taken as 20 cou- lombs, the number of discharges per flash about five, and the

duration of each discharge about 0.000028 second. The lat- ter value is based on experimental evidence that many lightning flashes are less than 0.000028 second in duration. The

quantity for each discharge would then be 4 coulombs, and

the current 4/0.000028, or 142,000 amperes. This is seven

times as great as by the previous method.

A third estimate has been made from the fusing effect of

a lightning flash on metal.16 In this case the metal was in

the form of a copper tube with a brazed seam which constituted part of a lightning-rod terminal. The terminal was

struck and heated to a sufficient temperature to volatilize some of the solder used in brazing and make the copper plas16 Crushing of a Copper Tube by Lightning. W. J. Humphreys, Monthly

Weather Review, 43, p. 396 ; 1915.
74 APPENDIX A

tic enough to collapse throughout its length of 5 feet under

the pinch effect of the current. The temperature rise is esti- mated to be about 1,025° C. The average resistance of the

tube for the estimated temperature range was found to be

17 microhms per cm and the weight 2.9 g per cm. To bring

2.9 g of copper to 1,025° C. requires about 327 g-calories.

The duration of the flash was assumed to be 0.01 second,

much greater than in the previous paragraph, but this seems

to be justified by the fact that the fusing effects were uncom- monly severe. Moreover, the entire flash, perhaps consisting of as many as 40 separate discharges, is considered,17 which would introduce a considerable factor to increase the

time as compared with a single discharge.

From the preceding values for temperature, resistivity,

and time it is found that

7= V-S/0.2389 R t = V327/0.2389 X 17 X 10"6 X 0.01 =

90,000 amperes, approximately. The pinch effect of such a

current on the tube is calculated to be 400 lbs./in. 2 (28

kg/cm 2 ). If the discharge were unidirectional, the quantity of electricity would be 90,000X0.01=900 coulombs,

which is eighteen times the greatest observed by Wilson.

The foregoing values for the maximum current of lightning flashes differ widely, as might be expected where deductions are made from such meager data; but they are the

best available at this time and, if they show anything, indi- cate that the maximum current ranges from thousands of

amperes to tens of thousands. That such a wide variation

exists is suggested by visual observation. In dry air, or in

advance of a thunderstorm, lightning usually presents a

thin blue appearance, while where the rainfall is heavy it

17 Alex. Larson, Photographing Lightning with a Moving Camera : Ann. Rept.

of Smithsonian Inst., 1905.
MAXIMUM CURRENT 75

presents a fat, white or pink appearance, which is most likely

due to difference in current intensity and diameter of path,

the rainfall seeming greatly to facilitate discharge.

Corroborative evidence of the magnitude of the currents of lightning flashes is found in recent laboratory experiments with artificial-lightning discharges which produce

effects similar to those in nature. Here currents of 10,000

amperes at 2,000,000 volts have been attained.18 WAVE FRONT AND DURATION

The well-known flickering of lightning flashes, which is visible to the unaided eye, indicates that a flash of lightning

does not always consist of a single discharge of electricity,

but, on the contrary, consists in many cases of a number of

successive discharges which follow each other with very

short-time intervals between them. By standing where the

light from a flash does not blind the eyes, an observer can

detect the successive discharges for each complete flash of

lightning, the number of which varies, for different flashes,

from 2 or 3 to 10 or more. By means of swinging or rotat- ing cameras photographs have been made which show separately the constituent parts of a flash in so far as they can

be shown by taking impressions on a photographic plate

moving at rather a slow speed. From these photographs

have been calculated the total duration of the flash for a number of cases and also the intervals of time between the

successive discharges. Moreover, by visual means using

rotating disks, and other apparatus, the duration of the

constituent parts of the flash have been estimated.

The first photographic evidence of the multiple character

of lightning flashes was obtained by Kayser 19 and Eiimcker,

18 F. W. Peek, jr., High-Voltage Phenomena: J. Franklin Inst., 197, p. 1, 1924.

l9 Berichte der Konigl. Akad. Berlin, p. 611 : 1884.
76 APPENDIX A

each using a stationary camera, the path of the flash being

shifted by the wind. The durations of the flashes were esti- mated from these photographs, but, owing to the fact that

the velocity of the wind was not known accurately in either

case, the results are not to be relied upon. These photographs are of importance, however, from the fact that they

show the distance through which the path of a lightning flash may be shifted by the wind while the successive

discharges are taking place.

A few years after Kayser's and Eiimcker's photographs of

lightning were taken L. Weber 20 showed that it was possible to make a time analysis of any lightning flash by moving the camera while the exposure was being made, thus spreading

the image of the flash over the plate and separating it into

its constituent parts. The best work on photographic time

analysis of lightning flashes has probably been done by

B. Walter.21 Walter succeeded in analyzing the sparks from

an induction coil by means of a moving film and at once saw

that the method would be applicable to the analysis of lightning flashes. For this purpose he mounted his camera on a

fixed axis around which it was made to rotate by clockwork

at a uniform rate. With this apparatus Walter took a number of photographs of lightning flashes and determined the

total duration of the flashes and also the intervals of time

between the successive discharges.

In the case of a flash consisting of five successive dis- charges the total time was found to be 0.2447 second, while

the successive discharges were at intervals of 0.0360, 0.0364,

0.0283, and 0.1440 second, respectively. These are fairly rep- resentative of the total duration and time intervals of the

flashes of which photographs were taken. The durations and

20 Berichte der Konigl. Akad., Berlin, p. 781 ; 1889. ^Annalen der Physik, lO, p. 393 ; 1903,
Miscellaneous Publication, Bureau of Standards, No. 95

Figure 5.

Photograph of a lightning flash taken with a moving camera by Doctor Walter
Miscellaneous Publication, Bureau of Standards, No. 95

Figure 6.

Same lightning flash as in Figure 5, taken with a stationary camera
WAVE FRONT AND DURATION 77

intervals are variable, however, and range for different

flashes from near zero to 0.6 second or more for the duration,

depending apparently on the number of successive discharges

in a flash, and from near zero to 0.2 or 0.3 second for the

intervals. A photograph taken by Larsen 22 with a rotating camera shows 40 distinct discharges in a single flash, the

,_t duration being 0.624 second and the average interval 0.0156

second. The intervals between the successive discharges

varied from 0.0026 to 0.0520 second. This flash is exceptional because of the large number of successive discharges

which occurred.

Figure 5 is a reproduction of a photograph from the col- lection of B. Walter, which shows in a marked way the

general character of a lightning flash. Beginning at the

right, the first complete discharge is shown in a nearly vertical position. The succeeding discharges branched off from

the original path part way down, as may be seen by tracing

the similar kinks in the different images for a short distance

from the top. The remaining discharges all followed the same path, but changed markedly in character, the fourth

from the right being apparently a unidirectional discharge

along a thoroughly ionized path lasting a considerable time.

When the cloud is exhausted by this continuous discharge a

short cessation occurs, after which there is a final discharge

usually much weaker than the first discharges. These phe- nomena are more or less clearly shown by the reproduction

given in Figure 6. Many variations from this procedure

may occur, but, in general, a flash of lightning is made up

of the constituent discharges just described.

The characteristics of the constituent discharges of a flash of lightning are of great interest in connection with the de22 Photographing Lightning with a Moving Camera : Ann. Report of Smithsonian Inst., p. 119 ; 1905.
78 APPENDIX A

sign of lightning protection. The duration of these constituent discharges has been studied by K. E. F. Schmidt 23 using a rotating disk having marked upon it a white cross which was observed by the light of lightning flashes. This

work confirmed that of Walter, showing that the constitu- ents of a lightning flash vary greatly with different flashes of

lightning. The most important conclusion, however, was

that for the most part the duration of the constituent dis- charges of a flash is 0.00003 second or less. A number were

observed in which the duration was greater, but these were

few. This establishes, in some degree at least, the upper

limit of the duration of a lightning discharge ; that is, the

path must be formed and the current grow to a maximum

and die out in less than 0.00003 second. This suggests also something as to the steepness of the current wave front. If

the maximum current reaches 100,000 amperes, as seems possible from previous discussion, the average rate of increase

is 7X10 9 amperes per second, assuming that the current

reaches its maximum in one-half the duration. It is obvious

that any circuit connected inductively to the path is in a way to have a considerable e. m. f. set up in it, even though

the mutual inductance is very small.

The duration of lightning flashes has been studied by

others 24 and somewhat similar results obtained, although in

many cases longer durations were observed.

In connection with the wave front of the constituent dis- charges it is interesting to note that these are now considered to be unidirectional rather than alternating. From considerations of the discharge path they may be of an oscilla- tory character but highly overdamped, so the discharge represents the beginning of an oscillation which dies out before

23 Elektrotech. Zeit, 26, p. 903 ; 1905.

21 De Blois, Proc. A. I. E. E., 33, p. 563 ; 1914.
WAVE FRONT AND DURATION 79

the first quarter wave is completed, the current dropping to zero without reversing.25 On account of the steep wave

front, however, oscillations with reversal of current may be

set up in near-by metallic circuits. In a paper by G. C. Simpson 26 a theory of the formation

and extension of lightning flashes is advanced which is based upon the relative mobilities of positive ions and negative electrons. The theory is tested by laboratory experiments on a small scale and examination of a large number

of photographs of lightning. The chief conclusions advanced are as follows : r 1. The conducting channel of a lightning flash originates

in the region of maximum electric field and develops only

in the direction of the seat of negative electricity.

2. A negatively charged cloud can only be discharged

by a discharge which originates in a positively charged

cloud or in the induced positive charge on the earth's

surface.

3. A positively charged cloud may be discharged by dis- charges starting in the cloud and terminating either in the

surrounding atmosphere or on the earth's surface.

4. If a lightning flash is branched, the branches are always directed toward the seat of negative electricity.

5. The application of these conclusions to 442 photographs

of lightning discharges reveals the fact that the preponderance of the lower clouds from which lightning discharges

proceed are positively charged.

In a paper by N. Ernest Dorsey 27 a second theory is given

for the formation and progress of a lightning flash which

differs materially from Simpson's. It is based upon some

25 Steinmetz, Trans. A. I. B. E., 43, p. 126 ; 1924. * Proc. Roy. Soc, 111, p. 56 ; 1926.

27 J. Frank. Inst., 201, p. 485 ; 1926.
80 APPENDIX A

peculiar lightning strokes, the effects of which indicate that

the direction of a stroke is not dependent upon the direction

of a preexistent field due to a charged cloud but is only

initiated by such a field and progresses in a manner analogous to that of a beam of cathode rays. The path of the

stroke is described as being formed by an elongated dart of

flying negative electrons which originates in a region of in- tense electrostatic stress and acquires sufficient velocity to maintain itself in weaker fields, and as an extreme case to penetrate an adverse field, until it strikes some solid object,

such as a tree, with a resulting explosion as the dart is suddenly impeded. Trailing electrons combine with positive

residues to form the flash, and while the path remains

highly ionized the cloud may be partly discharged with a heavy flow of current. An experiment by C. V. Boys in photographing a flash of

lightning with a special camera having a pair of separated

lenses revolving in a circle before a stationary plate has led

him, after stereoscopic examination of the images, to the

conclusion that a lightning flash originates at both positive

and negative ends nearly, if not quite, simultaneously.

It should be noted that Simpson's theory of formation of

a lightning flash requires that it originate at the seat of positive electricity. Dorsey's requires that it originate at the

seat of negative electricity, while the photograph of Boys's

indicates that it originates at both ends and meets midway.

This diversity indicates the speculative character of much of

the discussion of lightning beyond the results of actual

measurements.

INDUCED EFFECTS

The induced effects of lightning discharges are of serious

consequences in some cases and may be due to either electro-
INDUCED EFFECTS 81

magnetic induction, electrostatic induction, or both, depending upon conditions. At a distance from the flash they consist of minor electrical discharges from insulated metallic

bodies to earth or to near-by objects. They may be severe enough to cause fires, damage, or injury to persons. They

are observed principally upon the approach of thunderlv storms when everything is dry. Kainfall usually prevents

them by reducing or destroying the insulation. Such dis- charges, in the form of sparks ranging in length from a small fraction of an inch to more than an inch, have been

noted at distances of several miles from the apparent center of activity of the storm. The magnitude of the potentials which may be attained

by insulated bodies may be inferred from the values of

change in potential gradient due to lightning flashes found

by Wilson. In several cases changes amounting to 15,000

volts per meter (4,600 volts per foot) were observed as a consequence of flashes as much as 3 miles away. A wire

clothesline supported in such a field on dry wooden posts

2 m (6.56 feet) high would have accumulated on it a charge

such that immediately following the flash its potential to ground would be around 30,000 volts. A person touching it at that instant would act as a discharge path and, if the

capacity were considerable, would be severely shocked.

Shocks from this cause have been received not only from

insulated wire clotheslines, but also from wire fences, down

spouts, and other objects. A metallic object which is grounded would, of course, show no effect other than a cur- rent discharge through the ground connection.

In the immediate vicinity of a flash the induced effects become more severe and appear as sideflashes and oscilla- tory disturbances in metallic circuits, the effects of which

may be comparable in many cases with the effects of the
82 APPENDIX A

main stroke. Sideflashes or branch discharges from the

main path have been observed to jump gaps of several feet,

especially where there are metallic objects near by. Oscillatory disturbances may be set up in electric circuits of

sufficient magnitude to break down even high-voltage insulation. Lightning may cause voltages in conductors by induction

or by a direct stroke. Although most disturbances on trans- mission lines due to lightning are caused by induction, the

highest voltages are caused by direct hits. This follows,

since inductive effects may be experienced at a considerable

distance from the discharging cloud, while for a direct hit

it is necessary for the cloud to be nearly overhead. Induction may be electrostatic or electromagnetic. In comparison

with the electrostatic effect, electromagnetic induction by

lightning is generally negligible.

A charged cloud causes an electrostatic field between it and earth. Part of the field will terminate on any trans- mission line within the field of influence of the cloud. The

line is then said to have a "bound charge." This bound

charge will have a sign opposite to that of the cloud, the

charge of the same sign being driven off to earth by leakage over the insulation of the line or through the station equipment or to a distant portion of the line beyond the cloud's

field. If the voltage between cloud and earth or cloud and

cloud becomes high enough, a lightning flash will occur. Although this flash may be a mile away from the line, the

charge on the line is released and the insulated line rises from earth potential to some higher value with polarity opposite to that of the cloud. The effect is that of a voltage

suddenly applied between line and ground. The field that

extended between line and cloud is succeeded by one between line and ground. The voltage wave travels over the
INDUCED EFFECTS 83

line at the velocity of light. If the line insulators are strong enough or have a high enough impulse ratio, it may

travel to the powerhouse to break down apparatus or to be

harmlessly discharged to ground over the arrester if it has

low resistance and low impulse ratio. The voltage that the line assumes at the ifistant of a very

sudden discharge is that of the equipotential surface at the

height at which the line is located.

The induced lightning voltage on a transmission line thus

varies with the height of the line. It is approximately equal

to the height of the line times the voltage gradient, where

the discharge is very rapid, as is usual in the case of lightning.

Thus V—ga h=GK, where

V=induced volts,

g=actual gradient in volts per foot where line is located,

a=& factor less than unity,

G=ga=apparent gradient,

h

height of the line in feet. The exact value of a depends upon the rate at which the

clouds discharge. This is because in slowly discharging

clouds the charge is dispersed over the line for a considerable distance before the cloud becomes completely discharged. The highest values are attained in the case of a direct stroke. Values of G as high as 50 kv/ft. have been

measured on transmission lines in practice. The actual

gradient g may be as high as 100 kv/ft., so that for rapid

discharges and direct hits the induced voltage (in kilovolts)

approaches the height of the line in feet multiplied by 100.28 As the disturbance gets well under way and half of the

energy of the surge becomes electromagnetic, the voltage

28 F. W. Peek, jr., The Effect of Transient Voltages on Transmission Lines

J. A. I. E. E., 43, p. 697 ; 1924.
84 APPENDIX A

is reduced to half. Corona and PR (resistance) losses draw upon the total energy as the surge travels on and the

voltage is further reduced.

The induced voltage appears on the line as a direct voltage

very rapidly applied or as a highly damped oscillation. There is thus usually simply a rapid rise (a steep front) to maximum voltage, then a more or less gradual tapering off or decrease in voltage (a long tail) to zero. Due to probable variations in both the steepness and

the magnitude of the surges occurring during any given

storm will vary over a wide range, but the highest voltages

(where a approaches unity) are of necessity associated with the

steepest fronts. Where protection is to be obtained, it must be

secured from these steepest fronts. If protection from the

steep-fronted surges is secured, there will be no cause for

worry over the less steep ones. On overhead transmission lines

the induced voltages may reach high values, 1,000 to 1,500 kv

being frequently recorded. On extremely high-voltage lines

these induced voltages may not be so troublesome, since the

line insulation may be strong enough to prevent spark over by most of these voltages, but on lower voltage lines they may

be very troublesome. Not only will a lightning spark over be most likely to damage the insulators, but it will also generally be followed by a power arc over which may complete

the destruction. At any rate the power arc requires the

tripping out of the circuit to extinguish the arc, causing an

interruption in the continuity of service, the maintenance of

which is constantly becoming of increased importance.

When a grounded conductor or ground wire is placed near

the conductors of a transmission line it has a marked effect on the voltages due to lightning that appear on the line. The

ground wire reduces the voltage in two ways: First, it reduces the number of lines of force terminating on the line
INDUCED EFFECTS 85

conductors. This reduces the magnitude of the bound charge on the conductors! and the total energy later to be released in

the surge. In the second place, it increases the capacitance

of the line conductor to earth, so that with a given quantity

in the surge the voltage to which the line conductor is charged is less, from the equation Q = OV. As C is increased

V is decreased for a given quantity Q.

It has been found experimentally 29 that one ground wire

will reduce the induced voltage to approximately 50 per cent of its original value, two ground wires to approximately 33

per cent, and three ground wires to approximately 25 per

cent, etc. There is ako a protection against direct hits to the

line conductor, since the ground wire is generally arranged

above the line conductors to take the direct hits. The experimental values given above are in general agreement with the

mathematical results and apply to wires provided with good

grounds made with short grounding conductors at frequent

intervals. Poor grounds, or grounds infrequently made, con- siderably reduce the theoretical or maximum efficiency to be

obtained. Troubles with the ground wire in the past have

often been due to poor mechanical design. The ground wire

should have a life fully as long as the line conductors. They

should be strung as near as possible to the line conductors

and yet far enough away to prevent flash overs at times of

high wind, heavy sleet loadings, etc. The question whether protection from induced lightning

voltages is or is not to be provided is an economic one. The

protection to be secured by one, two, or three ground wires

is to be balanced against the cost. The induced effects of lightning are responsible for a

large majority of fires occurring in oil tanks, reservoirs, and

oil farms as a result of sparks produced in or about the tanks

where escaping gases can be ignited. Warehouses contain28 F. W, Peek, jr., J, Frank. Inst., 199, p. 141 ; 1925.
86 APPENDIX A

ing baled hay and cotton have also been fired by inducedvoltage sparks between the baling wires, which ignite the

combustible material.

THUNDER

It is now thought that the sound of thunder is caused

largely, if not entirely, by a sudden increase of pressure due

to heating, dissociation, and ionization along the path of a

lightning stroke. As stated heretofore, the energy of a

stroke may amount to 108 or 109 watt-seconds, of which the

greater portion is expended in heating the air. If the path

is assumed to be a foot in diameter and a mile long, 108 watt-seconds would heat it to about 650° C, with an increase

of pressure of about 2 atmospheres. The dissociation would

add to this by increasing the number of gas molecules. This

increase of pressure, which may in reality be much greater

than 2 atmospheres, takes place very abruptly and is suffi- cient to account for the ear-splitting crash which accompanies a near-by flash of lightning.

The intensity of different claps of thunder is as variable

as the current of lightning flashes, near-by strokes of lightning having been observed with no thunder audible to the

observer. One such occasion is recorded in connection with

the Washington Monument when, on April 5, 1885, during

the passage of a heavy thundercloud, at least five immense

sparks or bolts were seen within a period of 20 minutes to

flash between the terminal and cloud, without audible

sound.30 On other occasions disruptive discharges were observed, accompanied by thunder.

One of the chief characteristics of thunder, especially at a

distance, is the prolonged rumbling produced, sometimes in- terspersed with tremendous bumping sounds that apparently

80 Report of engineer officer in charge of public buildings and grounds, Washington, D. C. ; 1885.
THUNDER 87

carry a great deal of energy, enough to rattle windows and

cause buildings to tremble. The rumbling arises chiefly

from the fact that the source of the sound is long and irregular and different parts of it are at different distances from

the observer, and from echoes and reflections. The crashing

noise heard near at hand is smoothed out until at a distance

of a few miles a rolling sound is produced. The bumping

sounds just mentioned may arise from some particularly

favorable condition of reflection or from direct transmission

of sound from some portion of the path. A succession of

bumps may arise from several successive discharges.

The distance to which thunder can be heard ordinarily

does not exceed 15 miles (24 km), and usually it is less. As

compared with gunfire this distance is surprisingly short,

but gunfire is heard at great distances only under favorable

conditions for the transmission of sound, while thunder oc- curs only when conditions are bad and is consequently

muffled, although the total atmospheric disturbance is un- doubtedly greater.

ILLUMINATION

The illumination from a lightning flash has heretofore

been attributed by many to the heating of the air by the

passage of the current, but this does not seem to be an adequate explanation' for the reason that air heated to any practical temperature has not been shown to be more than faintly

luminous. It has been found that gases, in general, which

are highly transparent to visible rays of light at ordinary

temperatures, as are the constituents of air, do not emit them

in quantity when heated. Luminosity from gases of this sort is obtained only by ionizing them under a strong elec- tric field, thereby producing electronic vibrations of the fre- quency of visible rays. Since air conducts electricity only by

56337°—29 7
88 APPENDIX A

ionization, the air along the path of a lightning flash must

be highly ionized, and from this it seems likely that the elec- tric field rather than the temperature is the exciting cause of the illumination. The abrupt disappearance of the light at the conclusion of the flash also indicates the same thing.

If the temperature were high enough, of course, a sufficient degree of ionization might be produced independently of the

electric field to give rise to the illumination, but temperatures

of this magnitude, of the order of 105 degrees C, do not seem

likely from consideration of the probable energy and dimensions of lightning flashes. As indicated in the preceding

section, the temperature is not likely to exceed those producible by laboratory means. CHARACTER OF DAMAGE

When lightning strikes to earth the object which receives

it usually suffers more or less damage, depending upon its relative conducting power. Metal, for instance, receives a

lightning discharge with little damage to itself. In most

cases even slender conductors, such as telegraph, telephone,

and electric-light wires, will carry a discharge without fusing except where the discharge enters the metal. There 1 or 2 cc of metal may be fused to a globular mass. Occasionally fusion is more extensive, in rare instances having affected

several hundred grams of metal, but such cases are exceptional. In other exceptional cases there may be electro- magnetic damage to metal conductors, they being torn from

their fastenings or bent out of shape as a result of the

passage of the current. When insulating or semiinsulating material receives a dis- charge, however, the damage is usually severe and takes on

an explosive character. Trees, for instance,, whether dry or

green, are in frequent cases blown to splinters and in any
CHARACTER OF DAMAGE 89

event are split or stripped of more or less bark. The damage may also extend underground to the roots. Wood, in

general, is subject to the same kind of splintering, and brick

and stone work are sometimes demolished locally and pieces

thrown to distances of 100 feet or more. The extent of damage of this kind seems to depend in some degree upon whether the material is externally wet or

tiot when struck. Prior to rainfall the damage is the most

extensive; afterwards it becomes less, the discharge apparently keeping more to the outer surface. Trees struck when

thoroughly wet in many cases show only a small piece of

bark stripped off here and there, the remainder of the path

along the trunk being barely traceable by slight superficial

damage, while trees struck when dry externally are almost

invariably stripped or splintered from top to bottom.

The cause of damage of this sort is generally attributed to the formation of steam at high temperatures within pores of

the material, all porous' materials exposed to air being known

to contain more or less moisture. It is conceivable, however,

that there may be more to it than formation of steam,

although this would be a contributory cause. It is possible

that under the high current intensity and potential gradient

of a lightning discharge some of the material itself is decomposed or distilled with the formation of gaseous products,

such as hydrogen, oxygen, hydrocarbons, ions, and electrons. When hydrogen, for instance,- changes from the ionic, or combined state as in water, to gaseous state at atmospheric

pressure the volume occupied at ordinary temperatures in- creases about one thousand three hundred times and becomes

much greater than this at the temperatures probably developed by lightning discharges. Hence, a capillary tube in

wood filled with moisture at atmospheric pressure would be

subjected to an internal pressure much greater than 1,300 at-
90 APPENDIX A

mospheres if all the hydrogen contained in the moisture were

suddenly released in gaseous form by lightning. This would

be equivalent to an explosion of dynamite and ample to account for the explosive effects of lightning, especially

where coupled with the formation of steam, oxygen, and

other products arising from the decomposition of the material. There is also to be considered the electrostatic repulsion between the electrons traversing the pores, which may be

very great. It has been suggested by Dorsey that this repulsion between the fibers of even a small piece of wood may be

many tons. The greatest damage to property from lightning, of

course, comes from fires started by it. In some classes of

property the losses are serious, especially in oil tanks, farm

barns, and structures generally which house inflammable

materials. Lightning fires are started chiefly by the dis- charge, a branch of it, or an induced spark, penetrating

something easily ignited, such as explosive gases, dust, lint,

hay, straw, or paper. It is seldom that fires are started in

dry wood that is solid. Forest fires from lightning start usually in dry decayed wood or beds of leaves or needles.

EFFECTS ON PERSONS

When persons are subjected to direct lightning strokes the

result is nearly always fatal, although instances have been

recorded of extraordinary escapes from what seemed to be

direct strokes. It is possible, however, that what appeared

to be direct strokes actually were not. When lightning

strikes, the light is so intense and the brush effects so widespread that it is difficult for an observer to be certain of

what happened until the spot is examined afterwards, and

even then the traces may be confusing. Moreover, the shock

from a direct stroke is so great that it does not seem within

reason that a person could survive it. Where the subject
EFFECTS ON PERSONS 91

does survive it is highly probable that the greater portion

of the stroke was expended upon some other object. The

major part of lightning casualties arise from secondary

phenomena, such as sideflashes and induced discharges.

The injuries inflicted by lightning consist of electric shocks of greater or less severity which may be combined

s with burns, and in some cases tearing of the flesh, apparently

by an explosive action of the discharge. Burns by lightning frequently assume fantastic forms, and cases are re- ported where images of various kinds were imprinted upon

the body. That such burns happen to be the image of anything is doubtless a matter of chance. Their origin is probably in surface discharges over the skin or in the

layer of clothing damp with perspiration next to it. This

layer, especially in thunderstorm weather, offers considerable inducement to a discharge to follow it, and the result- ing heat, or burning by ultraviolet rays, might cause almost

any kind of an image to be imprinted. First-aid treatment

for injuries by lightning is the same as that for other elec- tric shocks and burns. First-aid treatment, especially artificial respiration if administered in time, would doubtless

prevent many deaths from lightning which otherwise result

from the fact that nine-tenths of such accidents occur in

isolated places where few or none are acquainted with the

proper procedure.

THUNDERSTORM DATA

Such data on this subject for the United States as are

available have been accumulated by the United States Weather Bureau, through its various observation stations,

and have been summarized in Weather Bureau publications.

Kecords for a period of 20 years are contained in an article by William H. Alexander.31 Maps are shown with isocer31 Monthly Weather Review, 52, p. 327 ; 1924.
92 APPENDIX A

aunics, or lines of equal thunderstorm frequency, drawn

upon them for the different months of the year. Quoting the

original article

During the winter months—December, January, and February

the center of thunderstorm activity for the United States is in the

vicinity of Vicksburg, Miss. In February, however, the general

thunderstorm area tends to drift southeastward, with a marked sec- ondary over Pensacola, Fla. In March the center of activity is still over the lower Mississippi Valley, with the general storm area spreading rapidly northeast over the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys. In April the center appears to be in the vicinity of Shreveport, La., with the general area spreading northeast over a large part of the Eastern States, but also north and west. The interesting thing about the May chart is the definite appear- ance of the primary center over Tampa, Fla., and a strong secondary

over the lower plains States. Great thunderstorm activity now prevails over the entire eastern half of the country, except in the Canadian border States, including the whole of New England. There

is also an increased activity in western Montana. During June the thunderstorm area continues to spread northward

and covers the entire country east of the Rocky Mountains except

possibly the extreme Northeast. The center of greatest activity is in the vicinity of Tampa. There are also definite indications of the development of a secondary center over the southern Rocky Mountain

States. One of the most surprising things revealed by the July chart

is the increased activity over the Rocky Mountain States, with a

secondary over Santa Fe, N. Mex., almost as strong as the primary

over Tampa. Marked activity also continues in southwestern Montana and in the vicinity of Yellowstone Park. The distribution in August is very much the same as in July, but with a notable de- crease in intensity along the Canadian border and a marked weakening of the center over Santa Fe. The two centers, Tampa and Santa

Fe, persist, though weakening, through September. In October the southeastern (Tampa) center seems to have dropped a little south and is now over Key West, while the Santa Fe center has disappeared

or shifted to eastern Texas and the southern plains States, and the general storm area is rapidly diminishing. In November, as diiring the winter months, the active area is over the lower Mississippi ValI
THUNDERSTORM DATA 93

Chart 13 (fig. 7 herewith), which shows the average annual number

of days with thunderstorms during the 20-year period at a large
94 APPENDIX A

number of stations in the United States and Canada, has a number of interesting features and is worthy of considerable study. Note that no part of the country is entirely free from thunderstorms and that they are comparatively rare along the Pacific coast ; that there are two

centers of maximum activity, one over Tampa, with an annual average

of 94 days with thunderstorms in the 20 years, and the other over Santa Fe, with an average of 73 during the same period. The average

at Tampa and Santa Fe is nearly the same for the two 10-year periods.

This chart, however, gives no indication of the intensity of

individual thunderstorms as regards electrical display, nor

does it show where the greatest number of intense storms

occur. In general, however, the lightest thunderstorms occur

in regions where they result from local convection. The most

intense and longest continued thunderstorms occur in the

southeast quadrant of cyclonic storms which are most fre- quent in the upper Mississippi Valley States and those between the Ohio River and the Canadian border. Thus it may

be said that the most destructive thunderstorms occur in the

central portion of the United States, with an arm of slightly

diminishing intensity toward Florida, and with rapidly diminishing intensity toward the west, north, and northeast. Intense thunderstorms may occur occasionally, however, in

almost any part of the United States, except perhaps on the

Pacific coast and in the extreme northeastern portion.
Appendix B.—BIBLIOGRAPHY

Acheson, E. G., Lightning arresters and the photographic study of self- induction of conductors. High speed pictures of spark gaps, A. I.

• E. E. Trans., 6, pp. 74-98; 1889. Adams, P. H., Earthing power station equipment, Power, 48, p. 451;

1918. A. I. E. E.: Standardization rules, definition, rating, and performance and tests of lightning arresters and protective reactors, A. I. E. E. Trans.,

33, p. 1856; 1914. Report of committee on protective devices, A. I. E. E. Trans., 37,

p. 738; 1918. Report of committee on protective devices, A. I. E. E. Trans., 38,

p. 893; 1919. Report of subcommittee on lightning arresters, A. I. E. E. J., 41,

p. 896; 1922. «f

Present practices in protection; annual report of committee on

protective devices, A. I. E. E. J., 45, pp. 1098-1114; 1926. Annual report of committee on power transmission and distribution,

47, p. 676; 1928. Protection of transmission lines from interruption by lightning, 48,

p. 210; 1929. American Railroad Association: Report of committee No. 4. Protection against lightning, etc., for railway signal circuits. Page 373 gives recommendations, chart showing number and kind and position of various devices, Proc.

Tel. & Tel. Div., p. 85; June 11, 1919. Report of committee No. 4. Protection against lightning, etc. Amendments and suggestions for previous report. Pages 133-136.

Essential elements in telephone and telegraph plant, p. 339.

. Specifications for electric protection of telephone and telegraph

plant. Proc. Tel. & Tel. Div., p. 127; December 3, 1919. Andersen, R. C. Transmission-line lightning surges, Elect. Rev., 101,

p. 1071; 1927. 95
96 APPENDIX B

Allcut, C. T.: Lightning arrester spark gaps; commercial form, A. I. E. E. Trans., 39, pp. 939-943; 1920. Lightning arrester spark gaps; experimental form; their relation to the problem of protecting against impulse voltages, A. I. E. E.

Trans., 37, p. 853; 1918. Atherton, A. L.: 1922 developments in autovalve lightning arresters, A. I. E. E.

Trans., 42, p. 485; 1923. Autovalve lightning arrester, Elec. J., 20, p. 107; 1923.

Effect of cables in overhead circuits on operation and application

of lightning arresters, Elect. Light & Power, 4, p. 82; 1926. Lightning arrester problems, A. I. E. E. J., 47, p. 591; 1928. Plans for lightning tests, Elect. World, 92, p. 165; 1928. 220 kv. lightning arresters—A new approach to an old problem,

Elect. J., 25, p. 118; 1928. Performance characteristics of autovalve lightning arresters, Elect. World, 81, p. 385; 1923. Lightning arrester application from the economic standpoint, A. I. E. E. J., 43, pp. 813-817; 1924. See Fortescue, Atherton, and Cox. Bang, A., Four years operating experience on Pennsylvania Water Power Co.'s transmission line. Gives every lightning flashover,

etc., A. I. E. E. Trans., 34, pp. 1243-1274; 1915. Beck, Edward:

Lightning arresters for supervisory control systems, Elect. J., 24, p

388; 1927. Study of lightning protection, Rwy. Sig., 21, p. 216; 1928. Bennett, C. E.: Water resistance and gap for lightning arrester, Elect. World, 75, pp. 365-368; 1920. Lightning arresters, A. I. E. E. J., 43, pp. 791-797; 1924. Some wet and dry spark-overs obtained with compensated impulse

gaps, Elect. World, 79, p. 1065; 1922. Draining high voltages from lines, Elect. World, 91, p. 1297; 1928. Berger, K., Der Kathodenstrahl-Oscillograph als Registrier-instrument

speziel fur raschverlaufende Vorgange, Bull. Assoc. Suisse d. Electriciens, 19, p. 688; 1928. Bishop, H. M., The lightning arrester, Radio Broadcasting, 9, pp. 241-

242; 1926.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 97

Brown-Boveri Rev., Ed., Disturbances of electrical plants due to light- ning, Brown-Boveri Rev., 9, p. 235; 1922. , Burger, E. E.: Some fundamentals in protecting against lightning, Gen. Elect. Rev.

26, p. 208; 1923. Lightning arresters for transmission and distribution circuits, Gen.

Elect. Rev., 28, pp. 857-859; 1925. Burkhqlder, C. I. and Marvin, R. H., Arc suppressor; operates by

shunting out the arc, A. I. E. E. Trans., 30, pp. 327-335; 1911. Carlton, W. G., Protection of cables from arcs due to the failure of adjacent cables; general, A. I. E. E. Trans., 23, pp. 471-474; 1904. Chopin, M., Tests on current limiting resistances in series with lightning

arresters, Revue Generale Electrique, 20, pp. 425-428; 1913. Clark, R. P. (See Creighton, Shavor, and Clark.)

Coal Age, Ed., By putting oxide film lightning arrester in case, short gap may be used, Coal Age, 20, p. 804; 1922. Coats, W. A., High voltage switch gear, Eng., 134, p. 199; 1922. Cohen, E. M. Influence of ground connections on lightning-arrester

performance, Elect. Rev., Chicago, 72, p. 959; 1918. Collbohm, M. H., Protection of transformer neutrals from destructive

transient disturbances, A. I. E. E. Proc, 36, p. 139; 1917. Cotton, H., Lightning arresters; ways in which overvoltages are produced; different types of arresters and their operation, Beama,

10, p. 418; 1922. Cox, J. H., P. H. McAuley, L. G. Huggins, Kyldonograph surge investigations, Trans. A. I. E. E., 46, p. 315; 1927. Cox, J. H., Lightning and its effects on transmission lines, Elect. J., 24, p. 364; 1927. Cox, J. H., and J. W. Legg, The klydonograph and its application to surge investigation, Trans. A. I. E. E., 44, p. 857; 1925. Cox, J. H., and J. Slepian, Effect of ground wire on traveling waves,

Elect. World., 92, p. 551; 1928. Cox, J. H. (See Fortescue, Atherton, and Cox.)

Creighton, E. E. F.: Means of reproducing lightning phenomena in the laboratory described; gives oscillograms and equivalent needle-gap curves, A. I. E. E. Trans., 25, pp. 365-397; 1906.
98 APPENDIX B

Creighton, E. E. F.—Continued.

Description and performance of graded shunt arrester, multi-gap

arrester, and electrolytic cell arresters; discussion on properties

of horn gaps, low equivalent, and electrolytic lightning arresters, A. I. E. E. Trans., 26, p. 461; 1907. Glossary of terms used in dealing with lightning phenomena and

protective apparatus; properties of lightning and characteristics

of lightning arresters; methods of testing lightning arresters so as to fix their various properties; classification of various arresters giving uses and limitations; suggestions for protection of electric plants, A. I. E. E. Trans., 26, pp. 1049-1095; 1907. Measurements of lightning, aluminum lightning arresters, earth

resistances, cement resistances, and kindred tests, A. I. E. E.

Trans., 27, pp. 669-740; 1908. Protection of lines in general A. I. E. E. Trans., 30, pp. 257-326;

1911. Status of aluminum arrester; its advantages, A. I. E. E. Trans.,

33, pp. 293-309; 1914. Questions on the economic value of the overhead grounded wire, A. I. E. E. J., 41, pp. 21-29; 1922. Deviations from standard lightning arrester practice, A. I. E. E. J., 41, p. 99; 1922. Thunderstorm researches versus no lightning arresters, Elect. World,

83, p. 521; 1924. Lightning protection, Elect. World, 84, pp. 622-623; 1924. Creighton, E. E. F., and F. R. Shavor, The compression chamber

lightning arrester, A. I. E. E., Trans. 31, pp. 811-824; 1912. Creighton, E. E. F.; F. R. Shavor, and R. P. Clark, Protection of

electric railways and methods of preventing deterioration of aluminum lightning arresters, A. L E. E. Trans., 31, pp. 851-886;

1912. Creighton, E. E. F., and S. D. Sprong, Oscillograms of surges on

a. c. distribution system of United Electric Power Co., N. Y.

with and without aluminum lightning arresters, A. I. E. E. Trans.,

28, pp. 805-839; 1909.

Croft, Terrell, Lightning protection, methods and operation, Power

Plant Eng.; December 1, 1917.

Dill, G. C, Lightning protection for special transmission lines, Elect.

J., 15, p. 203; 1918.

Dillard, E. W., Lightning investigation on New England Power Co.

system, A. I. E. E. J., 47, p. 489; 1928.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 99

Dubois, D. (See Rushmore and Dubois.)

Eaton, J. R. (See Hemstreet and Eaton.)

Edgcumbe, K., Protective gear for "over pressure" on high-tension

circuits, Elect. Rev., 75, pp. 712-714, 744-746, 775-777, 807-809;

1914.

Electrical Review and Western Electrician, Ed., Protection of telephone

equipment against lightning and high-tension sneak currents, Elec. Rev. and West. Elec, 70, pp. 674-675; 1917.

Electrical Review, Ed:

Lightning arrester employs oxide film, Elect. Rev. 78, p. 1029; 1920. Operation of lead oxide lightning arrester, Elect. Rev., 78, p. 75; 1921. Inspection and testing of lead oxide film lightning arresters, Elect. Rev., 78, p. 75; 1921. Lightning protection on rural power lines, Elect. Rev., 78, p. 669; 1921.

Electrical Review, Elec. Rwy. J., Electrical World., Ed, Symposium

on lighting protection, Elec. Rwy. J., 56, p. 1069, 1920; Elect. Rev.,

77, p. 810, 1920; Elect. World, 76, p. 1040; 1920.

Electric Rwy. Journal, Ed:

New Westinghouse type lightning arrester, Elect. Rwy. J., 59, p. 973;

1922. New railway lightning arrester, Elect. Rwy. J., 62, p. 749; 1923.

Electrical World, Ed.: Arrangement of arresters and choke coils Elect. World, 73, p. 1276;

1919. Charging and maintaining lightning arresters, Elect. World, 82,

p. 483; 1923. Devices used at Untra power station and Line Vartan, Elect. World,

76, pp. 277-279, 377-380; 1921.

Eglin, W. C. L., Specifications for material and construction of over- head lines, rules for protection of telephone lines, A. I. E. E. Trans.,

22, p. 747; 1903.

Fallon, J., Probable shape of the overvoltages induced in overhead

lines by lightning discharges, Rev. G6n. de 1' Elect., 23, p. 957; 1928.

Field, C, The oxide film lightning arrester, A. I. E. E. Trans., 37, p. 881

1918. Fortescue, C. L., A. L. Atherton, and J. H. Cox. Theoretical and

field investigation of lightning, A. I. E. E. J., 48, p. 277; 1929. Foust, C. M. (See Lee and Foust.)
100 APPENDIX B

Garrard, C. C. Horn lightning arresters; calculations of gaps and series resistance, Electrician, 72, pp. 996-998; 1914. Gilbert T. C., Lightning discharges, Elect. Rev., London, 99, pp. 870-

871; 1926,

Golladay, L. R., Arrester tests with the klydonograph, Elect. World,

88, pp. 477-479; 1926. Goodwin, V. E.: Spheres on a horn gap to reduce time lag, G. E. Rev., 20, pp. 658-661;

1917. A. C. lightning arresters, G. E. Rev., 23, p. 429; 1920. Harrington, A. L., Installation of lightning arresters at the Crystal

City Substation of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co., Gen. Elect. Rev.,

30, pp. 301-303; 1927. Hayden, J. L. R.: Notes on resistance of gas pipe grounds, A. I. E. E. Trans., 26, pp. 1209-1214; 1907. Hayden, J. L. R. and N. A. Lougee, Types of lightning arresters, G. E. Rev. 24, p. 1018; 1921. Hemstreet, J. G., and J. R. Eaton, Surge-voltage investigations on the 140-kv system of the Consumers Power Co. during 1927, A. I. E. E. J., 47, p. 441; 1928. Hodges, N. D. C, Discussion of lightning and proposed methods of using high-resistance conductor to dissipate the energy of the dis- charge, A. I. E. E. Trans., 8, pp. 159-167; 1891. Huggins, L. G. (See Cox, McAuley, and Huggins.)

Hunt, F. L.: Lightning arresters, general, A. I. E. E. J., 40, p. 687; 1921. Analysis of lightning arrester operating practice, Elect. World, 79, p. 376; 1922. Jackson, R. P.: Theoretical investigation tending to show the limitations of induc- tance of choke coils in protecting transformers and the relative value of the different arc suppressing devices, series resistors, fuses, and electrolytic cells. Tests and oscillograms, A. I. E. E.

Trans., 25, p. 881; 1906. Potential stresses about grounded conductors and towers, A. I. E. E.

Trans., 26, pp. 873-882; 1907. Johnsonr V. E., Lightning arresters, Power Plant Eng., 25, p. 1053;

1921.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 101

King, H. M., Water barrel lightning arresters give satisfactory service,

I Elect. World, 79, p. 586; 1922. Konig. New lightning arrester, Elektrotech. Zeits., 48, p. 301; 1927. Lang, P., Condensers as lightning protectors; proves them good if not too large, Electrotechnik und Maschinenbau, 31, p. 725; 1913. Lawson, J. F. (See Pollard and Lawson.)

Lincoln, Paul M.:

' The grounded neutral with and without series resistance; advantages

and disadvantages, A. I. E. E. Trans., 26, pp. 1585-1595; 1907. Analogy for electric surges; methods of protection, A. I. E. E. Trans.,

29, pp. 573-598; 1910. Lougee, N. A.:

Life tests on oxide film lightning arrester, A. I. E. E. J., 39, pp. 944-

948; 1920.

Pellet type of oxide-film lightning arrester, A. L E. E. J., 42, p. 1019;

1923. Life and performance tests on oxide-film lightning arresters, Gen.

Elec. Rev., 33, p. 928, 1920. A study of the multigap lightning arrester, Gen. Elec. Rev., 25,

p. 560; 1922.

(See Hayden and Lougee.)

Matthias, A., Atmospheric disturbances and lightning protection, Elektrotech. Zeits., 46, p. 873; 1925.

Influence of thunderstorms upon transmission installations, Elektrotech. Zeits., 48, p. 1477; 1927. McAuley, P. H. (See Cox, McAuley, and Huggins.)

McEachron, K. B., Effect of grounded neutral on the efficiency of lightning protection equipment, Iron and Steel Engr., 5, p. 160;

1928. Mershon, Ralph D., The overhead grounded wire as a protection

against lightning. Calculation of shielding effect, A. I. E. E.

Trans., 23, p. 331; 1903. Lee, Everett S., and C. M. Foust, The measurement of surge voltages on transmission lines due to lightning, A. I. E. E. J., 46, p. 149; 1927. Legg, J. W. (See Cox and Legg.)

Lewis, W. W.:

Relation between transmission line insulation and transformer

insulation, A. I. E. E. J., 47, p. 637; 1928. Surge voltage investigation on transmission lines, A. I. E. E. J., 47, p. 795; 1928,
102 APPENDIX B

Middlemass, G. H., Water-tube arrester compares favorably with

others, Elect. World, 79, p. 838; 1922. Michener, H.: Opinions on and experiences with lightning arrester performance on

the Southern California Edison System, Elect. World, 82, p. 803;

1923. High-voltage switches, bushings, lightning arresters, experiences of the Southern California Edison Co., A. I. E. E. J., 42, p. 1251; 1923. MacLaren, M., Lightning disturbances on distribution circuits, A. I. E.

E. J., 43, p. 280; 1923. McEachron, K. B.: Protection of station equipment on high voltage transmission lines, G. E. Rev., 31, p. 230, 1928. Time, voltage, and current characteristics of lightning arresters, Gen. Elect. Rev., 29, pp. 678-684; 1926. National Electric Light Association: Arrester practice up to 15,000

volts, Rept. Overhead Systems Comm.; 1921.

Neall, N. J.: Performance of lightning arresters on transmission lines, A. I. E. E.

Trans., 24, pp. 951-981; 1905. Method of introducing artificial lightning into transmission circuits; diagrams of connections of various systems, A. I. E. E. Trans.,

27, pp. 1139-1144; 1907. Analytical study of lightning performance tests on Taylor's Falls

line. Nature of lightning. Effectiveness of rods and arresters. Present art summed up in conclusion, A. I. E. E. Trans., 27, pp. 421-448; 1908. Nicholson, L. C, Describes "arcing rings" for protecting insulators from lightning and power arcs. Six thousand volt plant of Ontario

Power Co.. A. I. E. E. Trans., 29, pp. 573-598; 1910. Norinder, Harald:

Experimental investigation of the shape of lightning discharges,

Tekn. Tidskr., 55, p. 139; 1925. Some electrophysical conditions determining lightning surges,

J. Frank. Inst., 205, p. 747; 1928. The cathode-ray oscillograph as used in the study of lightning and

other surges on transmission lines, Trans. A. I. E. E., 47, p. 446;

1928. Osgood, Farley, Experiences with lightning arresters on 33,000 volt transmission line, A. I. E. E. Trans., 25, pp. 349-363; 1906.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 103

Peck, E. P., High-voltage arrester for telephone lines. Description

of a high and low-voltage arrester. First with horn and cylindrical gaps, second with G. E. metal tube vacuum gaps, G. E. Rev., 18,

p. 189; 1915. Peck, J. S., Description and nature of the ground shield. Objections

to its use, A. I. E. E. Trans., 23, pp. 553-554; 1904. Peek, F. W., jr.: Lightning, Bull, of Hydro. Power Comm. of Ontario, 14, p. 92; 1927. Protection from lightning, Elect. World, 90, p. 351; 1927. Progress in lightning research in the field and the laboratory, A. I. E. E. J., 48, p. 303; 1929. The effect of transient voltages on dielectrics, A. I. E. E. Trans.,

34, p. 1857; 1915. Lightning. Gives data on investigation of time lags in spark gaps, G. E. Rev., 19, p. 586; 1916.

Effect of lightning voltages on arrester gap insulators and bushings on transmission lines, A. I. E. E. Trans., 38, pp. 1137-1178; 1919;

also G. E. Rev., 22, pp. 900-906; 1919. Lightning, J. Frank. Inst., 199, p. 141; 1925.

Effect of transient voltages on dielectrics, A. I. E. E. J., 42, p. 623;

1923. Lightning and other high-voltage phenomena, Report Smithsonian

Inst., pp. 169-198; 1925. High voltage phenomena, Frank. Inst. J., 197, p. 1; 1924. Lightning and other transients on transmission lines, A. I. E. E. J. 43, pp. 697-709; 1924. A study of the causes of lightning, Rwy. Signalling, 18, pp. 188-189;

1925. High-voltage transmission, Elect. World, 87, p. 63; 1926. Peterson, W.:

Value of the overhead ground wire, E. T. Z., 35, p. 1; 1914. Intermittent arcing to earth. Mostly calculations of rise in voltage on line during arcing, ETZ, 38, pp. 553-555, 564-566; 1917.

Piloty, H., Dimensions of damping resistances for lightning arresters, Elektrotech. Zeits., 48, p. 1865; 1927.

Pollard, N. L. and J. F. Lawson., Experience and recent development

in central station protective features, A. I. E. E. Trans., 35, p. 695;

1916.56337°—29 8
104 APPENDIX B

Power, Ed.: „ _ _„ Lightning protection with various types of arresters, Power, 37,

p. 166; 1913. Oxide film lightning arrester, Power, 51, p. 596; 1920. Power Plant Eng., Ed.: New types of oxide film arresters, Power Plant Eng., 2b, p. 1922. Simplicity is feature of new autovalve arrester, Power Plant Eng.,

37, p. 750; 1923. , Prehm W Protection of transmission lines from surges. Does not; like 'gaps or condensers. Considers it much better economy to use none at all and increase insulation at transformers, ETZ, 35, pp. 417-420; 1914. Ramsey A. G., Aluminum electrolytic lightning arrester with an

introduction on electrical disturbances, Inst. Elect. Engrs. J., 57, p. 306; 1919. Rebora, G.: . , , , The existing protective devices for electric lines. Elettrotecnica,

8, pp. 46-50; 1921. Lightning protection and damage to electrical plant, Elettrotecnica, 13, pp. 661-662; 1926. Rhodes, Geo. I., Experience with a grounded neutral on the high- tension system of I. R. T. Co., N. Y., A. I. E. E. Trans., 36, pp. 1605-1610; 1907. . T

. . Roberts, J. D., Fuse protection of lightnmg arresters, Elect. Lt. &

Pr., 4, p. 27; 1926. R

?ractkal^studies in lightning protection on 4,000-volt circuit during

five years, A. I. E. E. Trans., 35, pp. 655-694; 1916

Studies in lightning protection since 1916 on a 4,000-volt circuit, A. I. E. E. J., 39, pp. 960-975; 1920. Rowe, Norman, Lightning rods and grounded cables as a means of protection against lightning, Guanajuato transmission line, A. 1. E.

Trans., 36, pp. 1239-1248; 1907. Rushmore, D. B. and D. Dubois, Collection of photographs of lightning Description of characteristics of horn gap arrester, water jet arrester, grounded wire and choke coils. Theory of operation

and description of construction of multigap and low equivalent

and graded resistance lightning arrester, A. I. E. E. irans., *©, pp. 42,5-459; 1907.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 105

Rynier-Jones, J., Lightning arrester for submarine cables, Elect, Rev., London, 90, p. 438; 1922. Schweitzer, E. O., A lightning arrester which uses the pressure gen^ erated by an inclosed arc to separate the electrodes, Elect. World,

72, pp. 52-54; 1918.

Scientific American, Ed., Beating lightning at its own favorite game,

Sci. Am., 127, p. 327; 1922.

Shelton, E. K., Protection of telephone circuits used in power dis- tribution. Describes G. E., lightning arrester and metal vacuum

gap, G. E. Rev., 19, p. 1126; 1916. Qindeband, M. L. and P. Sporn, Lightning and other experiences

with 132-kv. steel tower transmission lines, A. I. E. E. J., 45, pp. 641-651; 1926.

Slepian, Joseph, Theory of the autovalve arrester, A. I. E. E. J., 45, pj). 3-8; 1926.

Slepian, J. (See Cox and Slepian.)

Smith, Julian C, Experiences with horn gap lightning arresters, with

and without series resistors, A. I. E. E. Trans., 34, pp. 935-944; 1905. Sporn, P. (See Sindeband and Sporn.)

Sporn, Philip: 1926 lightning experience on 132-kv. transmission lines, A. I. E. E. J., 47, p. 105; 1928. Rationalization of transmission sj^stem insulation strength, A. I. E. E.

J., 47, p. 641; 1928. Surge-voltage investigation of the 132-kv. transmission lines of the American Gas & Electric Co., A. I. E. E. J., 47, p. 876; 1928. 1927 lightning experience on the 132-kv. transmission lines of the

A. G. & E. Co., A. I. E. E. J., 48, p. 122; 1929. Smeloff, N. N. Surge voltage investigation on 220-kv. system of Pennsylvania Power & Light Co., A. I. E. E. J., 47, n. 812; 1928.

Stafford, H. E., Some symptoms of lightning arrester troubles, Ind. Eng., 82, p. 531; 1924.

Stauffacher, Edwin R.. Lightning arrester experience in California,

particularly as regards the Southern California Edison Co.'s system,

A. I. E. E*. J., 43, p. 660; 1924. Stienmetz, C. P.: Study of oscillations of very high potential in a high potential system,

A. I. E. E. Trans., 18, pp. 383-405; 1901. Theoretical investigation of high power surge on Manhattan Rail? way cable distribution system, A. I. E. E. Trans., 14, p. 297; 1905.
106 APPENDIX B

Stienmetz, C. P.—Continued.

Lightning phenomena in electric circuits. Kinds of lightning, causes and effects and methods of protection. General discussion, A. I. E. E. Trans., 26, pp. 401-423; 1907. The oxide film lightning arrester and history of protection, A. I. E. E.

Trans., 37, p. 871; 1918. General equations of the electric circuit, lightning conductors, A. I. E. E. Proc, 38, p. 258; 1919.

Still, A., Lightning arresters on overhead power systems, Elect. Rev.,

78, p. 733; 1921, and 79, p. 192; 1921. Tanzer, E. Dean, Lightning arresters, Elect. Lt. & Pr., 5, p. 21; 1927. Telegraph Superintendents, Association of Rwy., Report of Committee No. 5 on protection against lightning and high tension circuits.

%Gives list of protectors in use and methods of installation, Tel. & Tel. *Age, pp. 16 and 42; 1919. Thomas, P. H.:

Static strains in high-tension circuits and the protection of apparatus.

Arresters with shunt and series resistors, gaps and choke coils, A. I. E. E. Trans., 19, p. 213; 1902. The function of shunt and series resistance in lightning arresters. Principles of operation of low equivalent lightning arrester, A. I. E. E. Trans., 19, pp. 1021-1034; 1902.

Classification of lightning disturbances. Description of tests to show serviceability of lightning arresters. Tests suggested for standardization by A. I. E. E. List of institute papers on lightning phenomena. Test curves showing nonarcing power of multigap arresters and shunting power of resistors, A. I. E. E.

Trans., 26, pp. 1097-1137; 1907.

Critical study of lightning records on Taylor's Falls transmission

line. Review of papers by Vaughn and Neall, A. I. E. E. Trans.,

27, pp. 755-777; 1908. Torchio, P., Notes on Italian high-tension transmission line lightning

arresters. Describes Gala arrester and Friese water resistor static discharger, A. I. E. E. Trans., 24, pp. 945-949; 1905. Powne, H. M.:

Lightning arrester grounds, Elect. World, 83, pp. 131 and 183; 1924. Lightning arrester design and research, Iron and Steel Engr., 3, p. 474; 1926.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 107

Vaughn, J. F., Comparative tests of lightning arresters on the Taylor's

Falls transmission system, Complete log, A. I. E. E. Trans., 27, pp. 387-410; 1908. Wagner, R. T., Getting best results from lightning arresters, Elect. Ry. J., 62, p. 911; 1923. Wallau, H. L., Relative frequency of voltage surges induced by charged

clouds, Elect. J., 25, p. 374; 1928. Weightman, R. W., Colonial telegraph and telephone lines. De-

> scribes gaps for telephone and signal line protection. Wurts gap. Lodge discharger, Inst. E. E. J., 55, p. 119; 1917. Whitehead, J. B.: The electric strength of air. Describes the theories of ionization and

shows theory of corona to be in accord with the theory of ionization by coUision, A. I. E. E. Trans., 34, pp. 1035-1066; 1915. The corona as lightning arrester, A. I. E. E. J., 43, p. 914-922; 1924. Wirt, H. C:

Protection of high-tension transmission lines from static discharge, A. I. E. E. Trans., 23, pp. 550-557; 1904. Experimental investigation of the use of resistors in lightning arresters, multigap arrestors with shunt resistor. Tests showing actual

utility of reactive coil and experience had with overhead ground

wire, A. I. E. E. Trans., 25, pp. 399-426; 1906. Wright, C. S., Lightning and electrical circuits, Elect. Engr. of Australia and New Zealand, 2, p. 185; 1925. Wurts, A. J.: Discovery of nonarcing metals and design of lightning arresters, A. I. E. E. Trans., 9, pp. 102-120; 1892. Discriminating lightning arresters. Multigap arresters with choke

coils, A. I. E. E. Trans., 11, pp. 337-377; 1894. Young, W. F., Tests on 22-kv. and 4-kv. lightning arresters, A. I. E. E.

J., 43, p. 1149; 1924. J*







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