Storm's 6" Grounding Bar Raises the Industry Standard

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Jan 082010

Illustration of 6” electrical grounding bar for towers and antennas.

Illustration of 6” electrical grounding bar for towers and antennas.

Storm Copper Components, leading manufacturer of ground bars and connectors for electrical grounding now offers 6" grounding bars with optional mounting kits that raise the industry standard from what has been historically a 4" bar.

Based on input from professionals attending the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) conference, Storm introduced UL-listed 6" solid cold-drawn copper ground bars as a better means to divert maximum current associated with lightning strikes common to communication towers and antenna installations. The 6" ground bars also offer a big advantage in space for an increased number of cable attachments. Four-color illustrations are available online in lengths ranging from 6" x 12" to 6" x 48" with numerous drilled and slotted-hole configurations.

Available in.25" thicknesses, the 6" x 12" version of this product has a drilled hole configuration that provides 12 – .41" drilled holes, EIA spaced at 1.5" with 6 slotted holes, providing greater space for attaching multiple cables with compression lugs. The additional size also provides 2" spacing from the outside edge, instead of the standard 1-3/4", which serves to further isolate connections. Storm’s 6" grounding bars are also sold in custom length-configurations available with quick turnaround time, thanks to the company’s computer-controlled fabrication process.

Storm computerized flexible tooling system is designed to reduce set up and production time on special orders and that’s huge according to owner, Dan Kitts. "Our custom orders usually ship in two to three working days, compared to three to eight weeks that are the industry norm. That’s obviously a significant advantage for time critical installations," he said.

Mounting kits are available with the 6" grounding bars, each includes a solid copper ground bar with 2 – UL recognized standoff insulators; 2 – stainless mounting brackets; 4 – stainless 5/8 – 1 x 1 hex bolts and spring-lock washers. Kits for larger sizes include additional components proportionate to length.

Storm also offers tin electroplating plating on standard and custom 6" ground bar orders. Tin plating reduces the possibility of corrosion that can interfere with the grounding connection, and also disguises the copper color, which serves as an additional theft deterrent, and makes the copper unusable for illegal recycling.

Security bolts for ground bars are also available to prevent theft. Manufactured from stainless steel in 3/8" and 5/8" sizes, the bolts can only be removed by a special tool, included in the ground bar security bolt packages sold at Storm Copper’s online electrical grounding store.

Storm Copper Components Co. specializes in the manufacture of custom electronic components for the wireless, telecommunications, power and alternative energy markets, serving OEM’s, electrical contractors and system installers for almost 20 years.

For more information, or to schedule an interview with Dan Kitts, please call Dave Krikorian at 423-506-4178 or email dkrikorian@stormcopper.com.

Posted by Frank Ross at 11:51 am Tagged with: , , , ,

Storm Security Grounding Bars Deter Copper Theft

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Jan 082010

Illustration of Storm’s electrical grounding bar security kit with theft prevention etching.

Illustration of Storm’s electrical grounding bar security kit with theft prevention etching.

As the value of copper increases daily, hardly a week goes by without a news story about copper being stolen from a construction site or electrical substation. To assist customers in curbing the increasing cost of copper theft, Storm Copper Components, Co. now offers a three-pronged solution as an affordable and practical means to curb ground bar theft, available at their online electrical grounding store, StormGrounding.com.

Storm’s Security Grounding Bar Kits are used to prevent theft of copper in cell towers, telecom central offices, and other indoor and outdoor installations. Security Kits include one .25" thick grounding bar made of high-quality, solid, cold-drawn copper (110 Electrolytic Tough-Pitch). Two standoff insulators, two mounting brackets and stainless spring-lock washers are also included, but it’s the special Truss Spanner Security Bolts and the #14 Truss Bolt drill bit that are the heart of this system. These security bolts are engineered with a very low profile that makes it impossible to remove them with a pair of pliers or any clamping tool. Storm’s Security Grounding Bar Kits also include a Truss Bolt drill bit to install or remove the security bolts quickly and easily. Without the drill bit thieves will spend a lot of time – not making any progress.

While this solution isn’t 100% guaranteed, it can certainly increase the difficulty factor. Raising the "aggravation factor" is often the only deterrent necessary to divert thieves that want to strike quickly and get out, and those that choose to spend the time also extend the time for security personnel to respond to their intrusion.

The second option Storm offers for securing electrical copper is camouflage. We’re not talking about the traditional concept of brown and green colors painted in irregular shapes to simulate bushes and trees; but this sort of camouflage is color based. Storm offers Tin-Plated Grounding Bars that add an extra layer of security and can be a better choice for outdoors or other harsh environments. In addition to disguising the copper color that attracts recycling thieves, tin electro-plating reduces the chance of corrosion interfering with the ground connection. Tin plating also makes copper less valuable to thieves because it no longer is classified as number 1 bright copper scrap when they sell it to a recycler.

The third point in this three-pronged theft-deterrent approach is stamping. Storm Copper can stamp a company name, logo, phone number, or a "Do Not Recycle" message into each ground bar. Bars that get stolen despite the ownership stamp continue to serve by increasing the potential for recyclers to report the theft.

Storm Copper Components Co. specializes in the manufacture of custom electronic components for the wireless, telecommunications, power and alternative energy markets, serving OEM’s, electrical contractors and system installers for almost 20 years.

For more information, or to schedule an interview with Dan Kitts, please call Dave Krikorian at 423-506-4178 or email dkrikorian@stormcopper.com.

Posted by Frank Ross at 11:32 am Tagged with: , , ,

Storm Copper Offers Lightning Protection Guidebook at Cost

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Jan 082010

Lightning Protection Booklet offered for $12.99 at www.stormgrounding.com

Lightning Protection Booklet offered for $12.99 at www.stormgrounding.com.

Storm Copper, parent company to the electrical grounding online store, StormGrounding.com is always searching for ways to extend the benefits of lightning protection to its customers. So when a unique lightning protection booklet came to the attention of co-owner, Bob Granger, he decided the content needed to be available to all Storm customers at cost.

The booklet, The Standards of Practice for the Design, Installation and Inspection of Lightning Protection Systems was painstakingly compiled by the Lightning Protection Institute, a non-profit organization steeped in professional training and quality assurance. “The book contains information that can help people in understanding the value of lightning protection products and proper installation, so we want to get it into as many hands as possible,” Granger said.

The book’s research was conducted by the Lightning Protection Institute (LPI), with findings that indicate how well-designed and professionally installed electrical grounding systems can shield buildings, trees, electronic equipment, and then reduce personal injury from lightning. The information in this booklet also reflects an appreciation of lightning protection products, installation, and use derived from consultation with manufacturers, users, inspection authorities, and others having specialized experience.

Published by the LPI, the booklet had been available online for as high as $49.00, Storm now offers the book for $12.99. Copies are available at Storm’s online electrical grounding store.

Much of the book’s content has multiple uses for homeowners involved in household lightning protection, not only as a do-it-yourself guide but as a planner that could lead to creating a more effective electrical grounding design. The booklet would also help a homeowner in hiring a certified installer or electrical contractor.

LPI adopted the latest National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes in the booklet, including the NFPA 780 Standards, content of considerable value to lightning protection installers, electrical journeymen and contractors. Contents include System Certification, Inspection and Maintenance, Main and Down-lead Conductors, Electrical Grounding, Interconnection (Bonding), and contents go on to cover specific types of installations.

Storm Grounding is a division of Storm Copper Components, Co., which specializes in the manufacture of custom electronic components for the wireless, telecommunications, power and alternative energy markets, serving OEM’s, electrical contractors and system installers for almost 20 years.

For more information, or to schedule an interview with Bob Granger, please call Dave Krikorian at 423-506-4178 or email dkrikorian@stormcopper.com.

Posted by Frank Ross at 11:24 am Tagged with: , , ,
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