New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-15
NE EFFICACY or LIGHTNING RODS.
srGGEsTIONs REGARDING THE BEST MODE OF
SECURING PROTECTION
,I.vandcr Nc AdIe I'm The American Meteorological

sUGGEsTIOYS REGARDING THE BEST MODE OF
SECURING PROTECTION
Alexander Meade In The American Meteorological
Journal.
Harris PERHAPS went more thoroughly on , i into
the question Of the relation OF tho form 81 te
mcnicd considerably but a. matter OF fact' drrivn
h- best Information from cAgn''ve sIudy han o' ore
laboratory work. And In THIS. In the long run. ne
proved himself wiser than faraday. For taraday' IN
$50 ,,lue only The question Of cOnductNlty III the
problem said decidedly tha, this was simple Iu,ss-
lion II conductlvy and that surface dld n nothing -,
RE wrsh Of his dcscrvcdly great fame settled the
questions upon his bal, FOR many ycar IT., AT %
thai whatcvcr theory might seem to demand. INC
facts plain TINT surface area was 81 great II
not equal lmportnnc" with sofa secuoh III u'"''"e
with lightning discharges. ,, ..-.,,.
But tn public meanwhile was drifting somcwhat
hnog called mon to approve some specifications FOR
n lightning conductor upon certain lighthouse al,
1onfh s bdus, SsvS would uS dow% and consult
Taradny a'out thu matter. Now Faraday sad very
o. lively that tho solid rnd was better thhn inc tOe
that solid volume was everything. superficial are. area
nothing and that II Harris says otherwiSe' tncn
he knows nothing whatever about 1t me Ann' .h
srarhivny approved tho solid rod conductor ,or ,ne
light houe Within DAY Or ,, 20 he .d ne. ''"! Surface
area IS most important, md u faraday says other
wise then he knows nothing whaiGYer sc sT%Ie char
sctor- says Dr. Lodsc. and some Of US think ina,
the theory Ot the lightning r'N .n "
all Tint section below The point requires h,rra,o"c
OF course. In places, this view OF me charac,eF OF
M. fash +, NJ vurAncr witt the decisions OF tpe
Lightning ROD Conference; and In consequehce thsre
II a discussion inow famous occurred NJ the hnusn
70 hc abont evenly divided. for while Lodge had nm.
ioult,dly the clearer insight into the character OF
thc lightning nash the decisions OF ne Hocr 81, nee
Conference and Lodge seem Ia mo Ia be somewhat Ike
TIE positions Of LaIday and nrr H. erection ., rod
these points may H. Of service TO him.
@cs E T "@"Sc i 70 '9s the dS
and preferably in TIE form OF tap u Iron Is used
and It IS perhaps, II anything me better nave III
rch or tape form and weighing about thirty hve
ounces Ia Inc foot
The nature Of the locality viii determine" 10 great n,
degree the need OF n rod. Places apart but lew
nils viii differ greatly In the relative frequency OF
flashes. In some localltlc. III" erection OF rod Is
The very best ground Won can get Is after
al for some flashes hut very po'r one therrtore
io not Imagine that you can ovcrdo II In MAKING a
good ground
The conductor at any part Of is coar;. goes
near water gas mains 1t Is best TO connect II with
thcm Wherever metal ramlhcation approaches
another i is best to connect TEN metan' rc, ana ana
indoor "a, pipes In general should be avoided. ~
T6c top Of the rod should be plated, In some way
projected from cOrroSlon and rust.
Independent "crounds" are preferable to water
cluster, II points or cronps Of two or three along
the ridge rod arr recommended.
chain link conductors are ~ lttlc use.
without doubt for almost all na,hes good light
ming rod well carthcd Is the appropriate path I" rarth
and the rod NAV bc relied upon u so act at the
proper time. -,
ANY part u n huldlng. II the fash be OF a certain
character maV be struck. whether Their" Il Il rnd on
the bullding not Fortunately this IS III" rarely
exceptional ease" the great majority OF hnScS IN th''e
ATTITUDES being comparatively mild aud not NJ MI rs
dangerous n APT to imagn" tom to be. We
have insanccd srvcr;n cas"S where "dlcrS SrrUmngN
amply protected hive been struck hclDw the rods
mot 10 BE- COMPOUNDED with eases Of d"fectlNc r'dS
ctcl: and II Is now becoming plain To MS now para
dox Of rlrndoN"') building NAV be seriously "nl,
aged by ghnlng without having been struck M ali
Take Ia" famous lIot, dc VII" Of Brussels. ~ wen
protcIcd by Nrlsens's method We might add per
han the host protected building In the world -nealnst
lightning and Vet II was damaged by fire caused by II
small induced spark near escaping gas. During IN"
thunderstorm one fash started mp slrglngs IN
n piece ~ metal not connected In any way " IN me
ur-,tcctIvo train Of metal The building probably dli
not receive" says Dr. Lodge, "cven side naNh: YET
tho induced sirg'ug set up I'm II. indncrd bv Max
vclI and Il,nv SIDES elcctrf magnetic waves were 80
violent rs 10 ignite some gas and canse small IRE y