This integral air terminal design does not provide protection for electronics, explosives, or people inside modern structures. Inductive and capacitive coupling from lightning energized conductors can result in significant voltages and currents on interior interior power and signal conductors. These are termed indirect air terminal designs. Such methods presume to collect lightning above the sensitive structure, thus avoiding or reducing flashover attachment of unwanted currents and voltages to the facility and equipments. Downconductor pathways should be installed outside of the structure.
Rigid strap is preferred to flexible cable due to inductance advantages.
Conductors should not be painted, since this will increase impedance. Gradual bends always should be employed to avoid flashover problems. Building structural steel also may be used in place of downconductors where practical as a beneficial subsystem emulating the Faraday Cage concept. 4.3 Bonding assures that unrelated conductive objects are at the same electrical potential. Connector bonding should be exothermal and not mechanical wherever possible, especially in below-grade locations.