New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-07-15
TEN QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
ABOUT LIGHTNING RODS.

please publish IN Cne News Letter, IN
concise and simple language, an article
on lightning rods for farm buildings by
some one in authority and fully capable
to write on the subject"
This request can not be fully answered
in a short note in the News Letter, but
the information given below seeks to
answer in definite and specific way the
most important questions involved.
Do lightning rods really protect
buildings? Answer: Yes: but the rods
must be Of proper character, properly in
stalled, and properly grounded in relative
| ly moist earth. Periodical inspection
and maintenance in good condition are
indispensable to efficient protection.
| 2 Do lightning rods on a building in
crease the danger Of it's being struck?
Amswer: Yes; but properly rodded
house may be struck several times with
out injury, whereas single stroke with
out the protection afforded by the rods
may cause disaster.
Should lightning rods be put up with
Or without insulators? Answer: With
out Buildings with metal roofs or
wherein any metal construction employed
is properly connected to earth, are already
partly provided with lightning protection.
If rods are added to such buildings the
rods should be put in direct metallic
connection with the roof and other metal
work about the building wherever prac-
ticable. All down spouts should be led
into metal pipes going into the earth to
give the proper earth connection, or the
spouts should otherwise be we'll grounded
by use of wires or cables. Insulators are
entirely unnecessary and it is proper to
have extended metal work in buildings,
like heating and water pipes, all electri-
cally connected together and all we'll
grounded. This latter result is gained
incidentally through connections made
to water pipes, since the latter usually
pass through the earth outside the build
ing.
4 Are gilded or otherwise expensive
points of platinum or special metal or of
fanciful construction necessary? AmsWer
No; not in the least. Sharp needlelike
points are effective in dissipating small
sustained electrical charges, but such
electrical manifestations are perfectly
harmless. The imagined superiority of
such fanciful points is utterly valueless
when the rod is struck by real lightning
flash. The useful qualities lightning rod
points must possess are infusibility,
mechanical strength and security of in
stahation, and permanence and durability
under prolonged exposure to the weather.
Stout bluntly-pointed iron rods three
eighths or one-half inch in diameter
rigidly and securely fastened so as to
project l IL or 2 feet above the structure
to which they are attached satisfy all the
requirements.
What material is best for conductors
or rods?
This question can not be answered
fairly in single statement.
Because Of it's availability and cheap
ness, as we'll as it's electrical properties,
iron is one of the best materials for rods.
Iron, however, rusts and deteriorates
under prolonged exposure to the weather.
This is only partly overcome by gal
vanizing; hence galvanized-iron lightning
rods should be of ample size not less than
one-quarter inch in diameter, carefully
installed and subjected to systematic in
spection and repair.
Twc-strand cable galvanized-iron
fence wire of substantial size of the same
style as barbed wire but without the
barbs furnishes very good material for
cheap iron lightning rods. The presence
Of the barbs constitutes "a rather serious
inconvenience in handling and installing
such a conductor, and no material benefit
is derived from their presence.
Copper is better than iron not, only on
account Of its indestructibility but also
because Of it's softness and pliability
WHICH, MAKE IL easy W lIlStdu. OCleIlIlSGS
are not in accord in regard to the relative
merits Of the electrical properties of
copper and iron, but in any case questions
OF cost, durability, and the like far out
weigh minor differences in electrical
properties.
Aluminium is a competitor for iron
and copper for lightning rods. It's
durability under exposure to weather is
in it's favor, but it's fusibility makes it
inferior to iron for points.
If low first cost is the controlling
factor, galvanized-ir rods must be
chosen, but subsequent inspections must
be made and repairs may become
necessary.
If higher first cost is not an obstacle,
the choice should go to copper first or
possibly aluminium.
e 1;rht 40, n