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According to national insurance data, lightning causes more than $5 billion in damage each year in the US alone. When a lightning strike is experienced in a home or office building, transferred voltage potentials can develop between multiple ground references that are not intentionally or effectively bonded together.
Most often it is the electronics within a home, such as personal computers, Internet modems, stereo or home theater systems and televisions that are most susceptible to damage when systems are not interconnected. The lack of a proper bonded connection between systems such as electrical and telephone wiring have caused or contributed to appliance and equipment damage, ignited fires and caused personal injury.
Proper bonding between connections and electric power systems will minimize the voltage differences and reduce the potential for damage caused by transients. A home that is properly bonded has an increased level of safety for people inside during a lightning storm. Intersystem bonding provides a low-impedance connection for grounding separate systems and creating an equipotential plane.
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For more than 15 years the National Electrical Code (NEC) has specified that ground conductors from various systems be bonded together, but they failed to specify exactly how that was to be done. Then, in 2008 the telecommunications industry submitted and won approval for the intersystem bonding termination requirement. Their intent was to create a dedicated location for terminating grounding conductors from communications circuits and other systems. In Article 250.94 three acceptable methods for bonding systems in a building are identified. The first option is a set of terminals mounted and electrically connected to the meter enclosure. The second alternative is a bonding or grounding busbar near the service enclosure, meter enclosure or raceway for service conductors. And the third alternative is a bonding bar near the electrode conductor.
Since this change was announced, many states have recognized the advantages of Article 250.94 and adopted them into local codes, but have not been proactive in updating existing homes or businesses. A simple solution is available; the Intersystem Bonding Termination (IBTB). This device is an easily installed method for meeting this effective code and all mounting hardware and anchors are included.
The IBTB is designed to meet the requirements of the 2008 NEC® Article 250.94 section titled “Bonding for Other Systems.” The IBTB is mounted adjacent to the meter base or service entrance equipment and is a convenient way to interconnect and terminate grounding conductors from telephone, CATV or radio and television antennas.
The IBTB includes corrosion-resistant, stainless steel mounting hardware and is easily accessible for connection and inspection. The lay-in connection clamp (#6 – #2 AWG, or 16 – 35 mm2) allows easy installation of the grounding electrode conductor in one continuous length, where possible. The polymeric base and housing is impact-resistant, UV-stabilized and meets UL® requirements for weatherability performance. Accommodates (5) 14-4 AWG (1.5 – 25 mm2 bonding conductors and (1) 6 – 2 AWG (16 – 35 mm2) grounding electrode conductor.
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When mounted near the meter base or service entrance equipment it is easily accessed for initial connections and subsequent inspection. It is ideal for protecting cable TV, telephone, satellite systems, security systems, sprinkler system controls, pet fencing, landscape lighting, structural lightning protection and more.
For installation, when the grounding electrode connector is accessible, the integral lay-in connection clamp permits the direct connection of the grounding electrode conductor to the Intersystem Bonding Termination. If this is not possible, a #6 AWG conductor can be used to connect the IBTB to the grounding electrode using a listed grounding connector. When the grounding electrode is not accessible, a minimum #6 AWG conductor can be used to bond to the meter enclosure or metallic raceway with a listed device.
The entire installation process shouldn’t take more than a half hour to an hour at the most, and once completed you’ll feel much more comfortable when lightning and thunder roll through your neighborhood again.
Click this link to purchase the IBTB.
For all your grounding and electrical component needs, contact the knowledgeable and helpful customer service team at Storm Grounding. Call toll free: 1-800-394-4804 or log onto http://www.stormgrounding.com/ to peruse products or place an order.
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