New Products For Lightning Protection

With miles of copper wire in the ground acting as an antenna, irrigation systems can be an attractive target for electrical storms. Proper grounding of your irrigation controllers is essential if you want your system to continue to survive in this hostile environment. John Deere Landscapes is proud to announce that we have added two packaged lightning protection systems to help you in your battle against the elements. They are JDL POWER FILL and JDL POWER SET. Many industry professionals have been specifying the products in these packages as individual components. Now, with the purchase of a single package per controller*, you can be certain you are getting everything you will need to properly ground your control system.

POWER SET PACKAGE INCLUDES:
Qty.1 Ground Plate 4” x 96” with 25’ of 6-AWG Solid Bare Copper Wire
Qty.1 Cadweld GT1161G Connector
Qty.2 Power Set 50 lb. Bag (2/kit)
Qty.1 5/8” x 10’ Grounding Rod
POWER FILL PACKAGE INCLUDES:
Qty.1 Grounding Plate 4” x 96” with 25’ of 6-AWG Solid Bare Copper Wire
Qty.1 Cadweld GT1161G Connector
Qty.2 Power Fill 50 lb. Bag (2/kit)
Qty.1 5/8” x 10’ Grounding Rod
Note: An igniter for lighting the Cadweld Connector should be purchased for each grounding project. (part number T320).

Use our Power Fill Package in heavy soils such as clay. Use our Power Set Package in sandy or light soil conditions. Power Fill stays loose and does not harden while Power Set hardens. Below, you will find useful specifications to follow when grounding your electrical equipment. Included in these specifications is a diagram showing the proper installation of our packaged lightning protection systems. To insure your controllers are protected, please contact your John Deere Landscapes representative to test the resistance on your grounding after it is installed.

*In some instances additional grounding plates and Power Fill or Power Set earth contact material may be necessary.

Recommended Grounding Specifications For Irrigation Systems

Earth Grounding
It is the responsibility of the installer to ground all electrical equipment in relationship to the irrigation pump station and irrigation control system. Grounding components will include, but not be limited to, the items described in the following paragraphs.

Use grounding electrodes that are UL listed or manufactured to meet the minimum requirements of the National Electrical Code (NEC). At the very minimum, the grounding circuit will include a copper clad steel ground rod, a copper ground plate, and 100 pounds of earth contact material (PowerSet® or PowerFill®), as defined below and per the following detail.

Ground rods are to have a minimum diameter of 5/8” and a minimum length of 10 feet. These are to be driven into the ground in a vertical position or an oblique angle not to exceed 45 degrees at a location 8 to 10 feet from the electronic equipment or the wires and cables connected to it. It is to be stamped as UL Listed.

The copper grounding plate assemblies must meet the minimum requirements of section 250 of the NEC. They are to be made of a copper alloy intended for grounding applications and will have minimum dimensions of 4” x 96” x0.0625”. A 25-foot continuous length (no splices allowed unless using exothermic welding process) of 6-AWG solid bare copper wire is to be attached to the plate using an approved welding process. This wire is to be connected to and through the top of the ground rod using a Cadweld GT1161G “One-Shot” welding kit, terminating at the electronic equipment ground lug. The ground plate is to be installed to a minimum depth of 30”, or below the frost line if it is lower than 30”, at a location 15 to 20 feet from the ground rod, electronic equipment, and wires and cables. Two 50-pound bags of earth contact material must be spread so that it surrounds the copper plate evenly along its length within a 6” wide trench. The use of salts, fertilizers and other chemicals are not to be used to improve soil conductivity because these materials are corrosive and will cause the copper electrodes to erode and become less effective with time.

Install all grounding circuit components in straight lines. When necessary to make bends, do not make sharp turns. To prevent the electrode-discharge energy from re-entering the underground wires and cables, all electrodes shall be installed away from said wires and cables. The spacing between any two electrodes shall be 18 to 20 feet, so that they don’t compete for the same soil.

The earth-to-ground resistance of this circuit is to be measured using a Megger®, or other similar instrument, and the reading is to be no more than 10 ohms. If the resistance is more than 10 ohms, then additional ground plates and earth contact material are to be installed in the direction of an irrigated area. It is required that the soil surrounding copper electrodes be kept at a minimum moisture level of 15% at all times by dedicating an irrigation station at each controller location.

All ground circuit connections are to be made using an exothermic welding process by utilizing products such as the Cadweld “One-Shot” kits. Solder shall not be allowed to make connections. In order to ensure proper ignition of the “One-Shot”, the Cadweld T-320 igniter must be utilized. The wires are to be installed in as straight a line as possible, and if it is necessary to make a turn or a bend it shall be done in a sweeping curve with a minimum radius of 8” and a minimum included angle of 90º. Mechanical clamps shall be permitted temporarily during the resistance test process, but shall be replaced with Cadweld “One-Shot” kits immediately thereafter.