By Tracy Carter

Storm Copper is one of the leading manufacturers of copper grounding components and solutions in the U.S., so we receive many calls and emails each week asking about grounding electronics in the home as well as large and small businesses. One of the most common questions we receive is related to Ham Radios and their prerequisite antennas that protrude skyward in much the same manner as a lightning rod.

Unfortunately, for many, the reason for the call is their antenna has already done an effective impression of a lightning rod. Lacking a proper grounding system at the time of the incident, customers often find themselves in the salvage and recovery mode and are looking for information on the proper way to prevent a second experience surrounded by the smell of burned circuit boards.

While there is no way to totally protect electronics from a direct strike, the good news is that a megawatt strike is a fairly rare occurrence. The goal of careful hams should be to think maximize and minimize. A good grounding system will maximize your gear’s protection and minimize your exposure and resultant risk.

One important thing to remember is to forget an old saw from “supposed experts” who often disparage newcomers to the hobby by telling them “That’s just overkill”. In my opinion you can never overkill a grounding system.

Here are the steps to properly grounding your Ham station:

1.You will first need a ground bar near your equipment that is large enough to handle the brunt of a surge. “I will say not IF it happens but WHEN it happens.” Always run individual ground wire(s) or braid(s) from each piece of equipment (radio, amp, power supply etc.) to the ground bar, never daisy chain a ground. Your coaxial cable has already introduced enough inductive reactance into the puzzle we sure don’t need more!

2.Next, let’s talk about RF (radio-frequency) Grounding a bit. An important element of a total grounding profile requires proper RF grounding. A recent question from a fellow ham radio operator who was setting up a radio station on the second floor of his home, raised a subject that can be confusing. He was looking at our ham radio grounding kit as well as 4 gauge solid copper wire. He stated 28.900 MHz would be the highest frequency he would be using normally and stated the quarter wave length was approximately 17 feet. He maintained that shortest length that he could get would be approximately 30 feet, and was looking for suggestions.

His miscalculation was not unusual. He was referring to RF grounding on 10 meters, mid-band frequency of 29.000 MHz the quarter wave would be 8.06 feet. For RF he only needed to calculate the feed wire, not both legs. So that will cut the total length to 17′, or basically in half.

The rule of thumb is to use quarter wave length of the highest HF frequency used to plain an RF ground system. The formula to calculate quarter wave is (234/MHz = feet of wire). So, if you are going to operate on 10 meters let’s say center band at 29.000 MHz, the formula gives us 8.06 feet. Most normal Ham Shacks can never achieve this unless your shack is in a basement. By the time you take away the 4 feet of flex-braid or wire that goes from your amp to the ground bar you now only have 4 feet to get to the outside and attach to the ground rod. This rule of thumb formula is for total electrical length from ground rod point of attachment to the chassis of equipment being grounded.

It’s not the end of the world if you do not have a perfect RF ground solution, I don’t have one either! As radio operators we are adapting a room in your home to a radio station and not designing a facility that is ideal so you will have to settle for the best you can make it. Here’s an example of how hard it is to be perfect. Even at 7 MHz, the distance is only 33.42 feet, which is still hard to achieve if your shack is not at ground level or if it’s in the center of your house. Some is better than none at all!

Sorry please don’t shoot the messenger, that is just the way RF and our magnetic field of the earth works. A quarter wave length is the rule of thumb on where to place the first ground rod for good RF protection. So given your shortest length is approximately 30′ you can only protect against RF at a frequency of about 8.00 MHz. This would give you RF protection on 40 – 160 meters.

There are lots of Hams that never use an RF ground rod. It’s usually OK until you add an amp or the conditions get just right and the microphone finally nails your lip when you’re trying to get that unique DX station. I’ve also heard of Hams not even grounding their rigs. The first close lightning strike takes their entire station out, and at that point grounding becomes a step they “should have taken.”

Also make sure the wire going to the first ground rod called the (RF ground rod) is of adequate size, a minimum of #4 AWG Solid is the standard. You can use stranded in heavier gauge but never use anything smaller, you don’t want this to turn into shrapnel in the event of a direct lightning strike. This would be a good time to point out the seriousness of this subject. As mentioned earlier, nothing will stop a direct lightning strike! If this happens while you’re sitting at the radio you’ll be toast and more than likely all equipment in your station.

Bonding is a critical element and unfortunately the most overlooked aspect of a good ground system. Many feel the ground rod they just put in for RF is adequate for total system grounding, but consider this situation.

Let’s say lightning strikes a tree close by, within 100 yards, halfway between the RF ground rod and your service entrance ground rod. The energy wave is so intense at that close of a distance it will split into two separate transformer windings, your house ground and all associated wiring and your RF ground and all associated coaxial cables and chassis. Here’s the kicker, you now have two different voltage sources tied to your Ham equipment. Can you think of what happens next? Arcing, popping and possibly open flames will follow, but hopefully you only “let the smoke” out!

All grounds RF, Electrical Service Entrance and Tower Grounds need to be bonded or tied together! I believe taking this additional step is the root of the saying “That’s a little overkill” I mentioned earlier. I truly think cost is the real reason behind that saying and hope no one is sitting at their radio when lightning decides to drop by for a visit. The price of a life is far more precious than a little copper grounding wire!

73′s from KA4JPB

“This came as quite a surprise since we’ve only been doing business with Parker Hannifin for 6 to 8 months. This award is a testament to the quality of the people that make up the Storm Copper Components team, and I am very excited to accept it in their behalf,” Howard said.

This is the first time that SSD North America has recognized suppliers for excellence in any area, so being the first recipient of this award is a true honor and competition was tough according to Division Supply Chain Manager Theresa Whitney.

“Our R&D Engineers have been very pleased with everything Storm Copper has made for us. There have been a couple of rejections but they turned out to be issues with our drawings and/or inspection,” she said. Leslie Foster Senior Buyer presented the award to Storm.

The criterion for the award was limited to companies that had been supplying parts for a minimum of seven months, while maintaining the lowest RPPM for the previous 12 months. In addition, the review considered the complexity of the parts sourced and the lead time.

Storm Copper sales manager Charlene Miller introduces Hamfest attendees to Storm Copper's line of grounding products.

When August rolls around each year, thousands of Ham radio operators gather in Huntsville, Alabama to attend the annual Hamfest organized by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Southeastern Division. This division is the largest in the ARRL, consisting of, Alabama, Georgia, Northern Florida, Southern Florida, West Central Florida, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Island Sections.

This year’s show, held at Huntsville’s Von Braun Center, featured approximately 60 industry related vendors and a huge flea market where you could find just about anything imaginable related to radio enthusiasts. Despite the large number of participants and vendors, Miller gave the organizers high marks for staging an “extremely well organized event”. Of the 5,000 that attended, she noted that as many as 2,000 were on the show floor at any given time so there was no shortage for people to talk with about Ham radio related equipment.

Since having a properly grounded radio tower is a safety issue directly related to Storm Copper Components; Sales Manager, Charlene Miller, attended this year’s Hamfest and introduce attendees to the extensive line of Storm grounding products that are perfect for the radio towers of Ham Radio enthusiasts. She was very impressed with the event and pleased to learn that over half the people who visited the Storm Copper display area had already been to stormgrounding.com and were familiar with the quality line up of Storm Copper grounding components.

“Many of the people I spoke with were what we call “first responders”, the people who are the first to arrive on the scene of an emergency such as hurricanes like Katrina, flooding or any major disaster. With any natural disaster communications are always disrupted, and these Ham operators set up lines of communication necessary to coordinate relief efforts, and save lives. The hit of the show was our new portable grounding kit. Everyone that stopped to see it was excited about how easy it was to set up and tear down,” Miller said.

“We met many people who had not heard of our products, but it was very gratifying to have literally hundreds of people who had been to our web site and were pleased with our products and the service we provide with them. That made the event even more rewarding for me personally,” she said.

Portable Grounding Rods are used in variety of situations by first responders, utility workers, oil rig crews and others working in remote places needing a temporary ground to discharge static electricity or to provide a ground for a construction area using a generator. Storm’s Portable Ground Rod with Auger Tip drives easily into the ground to an adequate depth to reach moist soil suitable for grounding.

For all your grounding needs, consider Storm Copper Components. Call our friendly customer service team for a quote today. The call is toll free: 1-888-334-2177.

]]> http://site.electrical-insulators-and-copper-ground-bars.com/blog1/2010/08/25/storm-copper%e2%80%99s-portable-grounding-rods-a-big-hit-at-huntsville-hamfest/feed/ 0 http://site.electrical-insulators-and-copper-ground-bars.com/blog1/2010/08/10/storm-copper-exceptional-products-exceptional-customer-service/ http://site.electrical-insulators-and-copper-ground-bars.com/blog1/2010/08/10/storm-copper-exceptional-products-exceptional-customer-service/#comments Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:58:26 +0000 Frank Ross http://site.electrical-insulators-and-copper-ground-bars.com/blog1/?p=999 By Frank Ross
There is a time-worn axiom in the nautical world, “The ship that never goes aground never leaves port.”

That may be comforting to captains at the helm of industry as well, but the critical issue on land or sea is what you do once you realize that you’ve buried the bow into an immovable object. Some obstinate types are prone to apply more throttle in an attempt to bulldoze through and continue upon the intended path, not a great deal unlike the phrase made famous by Admiral David Glasgow Farragut; “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” While that may make for a colorful Naval career if the battle is won, it’s the astute captain that takes immediate and appropriate action to correct the course and restore any damage as quickly as possible.

That’s one of the things I like most about working with Storm Copper Components. They’re not perfect, although they spend a great deal of time and money toward that goal, by putting quality control and customer service standards under the microscope on a daily basis. When something goes wrong with an order, they make it right quickly and don’t spare the horses. And if their error has negatively impacted a customer’s production schedule, overnight red label shipping is always an option.

Recently a customer in Iowa sent an email, following receipt of their order, to explain their problem.

Good afternoon, Thanks for very prompt shipping of my order from Storm Copper Components. Appreciated. Unfortunately, what I received is a bit different from what I ordered. I ordered two (2) 8 oz. tubes of NO-OX-ID A-Special (item 10202), and the packing list shows two (2), but I only received one of the tubes (along with one (1) 8 oz. tin of the same product, as ordered).

Storm Copper Components Sales Manager, Charlene Miller, responded immediately, offering a credit on the item or UPS Red shipment if it was time critical for a project. His reaction is typical of Storm Copper Components customers across the board.

Charlene, Thanks for the fast response. I understand mistakes happen – it’s how a business responds that tells much about a business. I’m positively impressed with your organization. Shipping the “missing” tube using the lowest cost shipping method is fine with me. I do not need the 2nd tube right away. Thanks, J. Woestman

If you are looking for metal products, and more importantly, a company that is quick to admit a mistake and make sure that a customer’s needs are met, consider Storm Copper Components. Their bow doesn’t get buried in the sand often, but you can be sure of one thing; the helm is manned by a crew that understands “all back-full”.

If you’re in the market for No-Ox-Id A Tube Special use this link . I can assure you they’ll treat you right!

Unlike the usual fare of fire-breathing dragons that come off the line in prototypical high performance automotive competitions in this country, the vehicles involved in the fourth annual Formula Hybrid™ competition were looking forward to a “greener” propulsion system and that captured the imagination of the management at Storm Copper Components.

SJSU's Formula-Hybrid entry cruises the track during performance trials.

Storm Copper has a track record of commitment to the development of innovative technology but this project was set on a track of a different nature whose destination was of the same bent, so Storm was enthusiastic about sponsoring San Jose State University’s entry into the annual Formula Hybrid™ competition. This competition was the fourth annual, conducted by the prestigious Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, and held in coordination with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

The Formula Hybrid competition is an educational program that serves to challenge and inspire teams of university undergraduate and graduate students to conceive their own design for hybrid-powered cars, and then to fabricate, develop and compete with other students from around the world. Students are required to work across disciplinary boundaries, such as electrical and mechanical engineering, and also to enlist the support of grants, awards and corporate sponsorships.

Although 100 pages of rules determined the outcome, teams are allowed great freedom and flexibility in the design of these vehicles, with the most significant requirement being a mandatory mechanical/electrical hybrid drive train. The concept given to students is to design and build a prototype vehicle that is to be ultimately produced for the consumer, so styling, acceleration, braking and handling performance are all factors that weigh heavily in the judging process.

SJSU's team poses for a group photo at the track in New Hampshire.

As the eleven student team members benefit from the experience, the underlying ambition of this program is to further the goal of developing a viable alternative to carbon based transportation. John Monson, Team Leader, sees the competition as an opportunity to demonstration to automotive consumers that hybrids are capable of high performance acceleration and handling characteristics that exceed the expectations of economical forms of transportation typical of the hybrid concept vehicle.

The 2010 SJSU entry was originally a gas-electric hybrid, but in the final weeks before the competition a booster exploded so they entered the full-electric powered division. That’s where Storm contribution to the program became a critical component.

Copper sheeting was used for battery busbars to connect the 140 lithium iron phosphate batteries that supplied power to the experimental car’s propulsion system.

According to the project’s electrical technical adviser, Matthew Kihlthau, the .24″ x 48″ copper sheet that Storm contributed to the project was used to fabricate the copper bus bar for fuses that provided the required electrical safety element for the competition, the copper sheeting also served as the battery bus plate used as the main connector for the 140 lithium iron phosphate batteries that supplied power to the experimental car’s propulsion system. The car’s electrical propulsion system, which enabled a top speed of 60 mph, with a capacity of 90 minutes or roughly 20 miles, produced 200 amps of continuous power, with a peak rating of 230 amps at 102.2 volts.

For this 4th annual competition – and SJSU’s first Formula-Hybrid challenge – the judging began in May at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where 30 teams from five countries presented their vehicles for a complicated mechanical inspection. Following the inspection, students made a presentation to industry experts from Toyota, Chrysler and other auto companies, touting the costs, design and marketing strengths of their vehicle. Once the inspections and presentations were completed, the racing began. Unlike typical auto races, where the checkered flag goes to the car that crosses the finish line first, this competition selects a winner based on the way the car is designed, built and most importantly the measured performance of drive train innovation and fuel efficiency.

Copper bus bar was used for fuses that provided the required electrical safety element for the competition.

San Jose State University’s team finished second in the Hybrid in Progress category, behind a collective effort fielded by Florida A&M/Florida State University. More importantly, the road to a more environmentally friendly form of automotive transportation in the future was advanced through the process of education, innovation, experimentation and the classic application of American ingenuity. Such are the things of the future, and Storm Copper’s commitment to alternative energy and innovation that will secure our nation’s future for both commerce and individual consumers.

For more information on the San Jose State University Formula-Hybrid project, check out the SJSU project Web site.

Here’s a competition summary video that illustrates the SJSU effort well.

If you have modular batteries in need of copper posts, plates or other connectors, non-plated or plated in bright tin, lead, lead-tin or other plating conducted entirely in-house, consider Storm Copper.

The most common places for damaging water leaks in residential construction occur where roof flashing is installed, and poor installation is most often the cause of failure.

Flashings are the critical material that forms the barrier between the primary roofing material (asphalt shingles, ceramic tiles, etc.) and objects that don’t get covered by that material. Regardless of the roofing material, the critical areas with the highest potential for leaks are these transitional areas.

Pliable metal flashing is used to direct water away from valleys or dormers created by changes in the roofline, plumbing or fan vents, a chimney, or a skylight installation. Copper is the preferred material, though there are other cheaper materials being used today and is practically leak proof when installed properly. Poor installation of non-copper metals that depend on caulks or roofing cement to seal out moisture are certain to leak over time as constant exposure to the elements slowly destroys the adhesive and elastic qualities of these chemical sealants.

Depending on the material used, the lifespan of a roof can range dramatically, and this means that the flashing in these critical areas of exposure must meet or exceed the life span of the roofing material. When flashing metals are used it is critical that they must be easily shaped and soldered, brazed or welded readily. And while some installations can be done using crimps, a permanent seal is the most secure option.

Soldered joints will stand the extreme temperature swings and the resulting expansion and contraction that a roof is exposed to. The most troublesome areas are where flashing must be formed around a corner such as a chimney or dormer, or where two pieces must be spliced together. Traditional flashing metals include copper, tin coated steel, lead and galvanized steel.

Copper flashing is the preferred metal because it performs far better than other metals in all areas of concern. It is malleable and easily formed, easily soldered and is very durable. Copper sheeting used for roof flashing is also known as 16-ounce copper because the .0216” thickness required for this application weighs about 16 ounces per 12” x 12” sheet. Tin coated steel and galvanized steel will eventually rust and corrode. While it is possible to paint tin and galvanized metals, it is very difficult to get paint to adhere properly due to oils on the surface from the manufacturing process. Cleaning the surface is required, special primers and several coats of the finish paint are best but seldom used, so peeling or flaking paint will eventually give way to rust and flashing failure. Aluminum cannot be soldered, and if it is used to flash around a chimney or a brick wall, it will corrode rapidly. The chemical composition of the mortar will attack and destroy the aluminum!

Valley flashings are generally divided into two categorize, open and closed. As implied by the name, open valleys are visible when completed and closed valleys are not. When open valleys are installed, long sheets of 16 oz. (minimum) copper are cleated to the sheathing and underlayment before any shingles are applied. Adjacent sheets of copper are overlapped a minimum of 8″. The sheets are nailed only at the top and copper or bronze nails are used.
Closed valleys are constructed as the shingles are installed by inserting copper flashing squares between successive layers of shingles. These flashing squares are folded on the diagonal.

When slate or tile is used for the primary roofing material, 20 oz. plain or lead coated copper is recommended for use in valley flashing. But keep in mind that building codes vary widely across the U.S., so you should check with your local codes before beginning any project.

Once you’re ready to start, remember that StormCopper.com has an extensive stock of copper sheeting in all sizes and thicknesses that are appropriate for roofing flashing. Give our friendly customer service staff a call for a price quote that won’t send you through the roof!

Call toll-free: 1-888-334-2177

Storm Copper's circle shear slowly turns out another perfect copper circle.

No matter what size, shape or physical profile of copper cut you may need, Storm Copper Components can make it happen fast and to exact specifications. This capability now includes a circle shear machine that produces perfect copper circles and rings.

Copper circles are commonly used for a variety of crafts and metal art, including metal spinning of ferrules, bowls, cups or most anything round. Copper circles are also used as fence post caps, heat diffuser plates, pipe-end caps and as round plates used in tube heat exchangers.

For fast-order response for these common uses, Storm stocks a wide range of copper circles from 3-1/2” to 35” in diameter, cut from copper sheet from .002” (20 gauge) to .125” (8 gauge) thick.

For OEM’s, Storm produces made-to-order copper circles that can be used as spacers, or essentially large washers or ring gaskets for high-end Ultra High Vacuum (UHV), where extreme vacuum systems require special seals and gaskets used between components to prevent even trace leakage.

Other industrial uses for copper gaskets include heat exchangers, compressors, condensers, pumps, valves, and general industrial applications in all sizes & shapes.
According to plant industrial engineer, Steve Crumley, “Storm’s circle shear works like a giant can opener, slowly turning a piece of square copper sheet while heavy pressure is applied to the round cutting wheel. For thicker copper sheet, several revolutions may be required to insure a precise, even cut.”

Crumley adds, “by cutting a 35” circle, then readjusting the Circle Shear to cut a 33” circle from the original, you end up with a 35” ring, or washer up to 1/8” in thickness, and that’s a pretty serious washer!”

It’s important to understand how cutting made-to-order circles or ring gaskets is only the final part of a production process based on a set of specifications put forth by the customer and by Storm’s quality engineering team. For example, copper gaskets used in UHV have to meet pre-set vacuum ratings as well as temperature ranges. Gaskets or seals can be produced for single or multiple uses, with precise inner and outer diameters.

The circle shear machine is just one part of the overall capability Storm Copper maintains to provide custom cutting, shaping, punching, milling and plating of copper to meet the most diverse customer requirements and production schedules.

When you need copper, call the experts at Storm Copper Components. They’ll give you a great price on copper circles, without giving you the run around!

April marks the dubious beginning of the season of violent thunderstorms that that runs throughout hot summer and ends in September. These six months that are most often associated with outdoor activities and family fun is also the time when the most severe damage occurs from lightening related incidents.

Over a 35-year period the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has documented that 92% of severe lightning damage occurs, so this would be a good time to evaluate your current exposure to both personal and business property, sensitive electronics and susceptible equipment.

Businesses with the highest level of exposure include utilities, telecommunications companies, cable TV and satellite vendors and other industries that rely on remotely located equipment. Although the amount of financial exposure in less, individuals with home theater systems, computer and home appliances need to be equally vigilant when guarding their assets against potentially devastating direct hits as well as equally damaging electrical surges that travel through the system.

The frequency and severity of thunderstorms during this period creates a constant threat from lightning. Before you or your property becomes part of the NOAA statistics, evaluate your grounding system and surge protection.

According to national insurance data, lightning causes more than $5 billion in damage each year in the US alone.

Surge protection is designed to protect equipment from lightning-induced fluctuations on telephone and power transmission lines. Surge protection is very affordable and available at most big-box stores. Electronics such as computers whose hard drives which are highly susceptible to power fluctuations that occur daily even when no storm is present should have a good surge protection device year round.

When lightning strikes the ground nearby the electrical charge can radiates through the earth’s surface and travels following the path of least resistance. This high-frequency energy can quickly force fault current onto the bonded power circuits leading to exposed electronics.

Eliminating this fault path through the electronics, by temporarily isolating the equipment from the power connection, protects the equipment for the duration of the lightning threat. A properly installed grounding system is designed to quickly dissipate low frequency energy through grounding wires and into the earth.

While the peninsula of Florida has the unfortunate distinction of being the most often location for lightning strikes, the area of high exposure spans the entire Southeast and stretches all the way to the western states of Colorado and Wyoming on the Central Plains. The majority of this vast area will experience at least 50 days of exposure to severe thunderstorms in an average year, while the numbers in the Deep South range from 60 to 90 days of high exposure annually.

Before the air outside is filled with the smell of burning ozone, and the odor of burnt circuit boards fill your home, take a few minutes to evaluate your exposure and your plan of protection. Prevention is always more affordable and less frustrating than dealing with the aftermath of procrastination!

Protecting your property with an Intersystem Bonding Termination is easy and very affordable, as you’ll read in this article posted recently. Protect Valuable Electronics by Bonding all Electrical Systems

Click this link for a complete selection of lightning protection components, or call one of the knowledgeable customer service staff at Stormcopper.com. It’s a free call: 1-888-334-2177.

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.

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.

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.

For all your grounding and electrical component needs, contact the knowledgeable and helpful customer service team at Storm Copper. Call toll free: 1-800-394-4804 or log onto http://www.stormcopper.com/ to peruse products or place an order.

Sales Manager Charlene Miller and Storm’s OEM Sales representative Joe Radecki are ready to greet customers at the NATE show, held at Disney’s Coronado Convention Center.

Storm Copper Components’ owners and several sales and marketing representatives attended the National Association of Tower Erectors (NATE) trade show in Orlando, and as far as the staff were concerned, NATE was great!

Traffic to the Storm booth was very strong as attendees discovered they could get a free copper peace sign by stopping by the Storm Copper booth. They were also very enthusiastic about the discount card they received for dropping their business card in the distinctive copper box, made by Storm’s creative shop.

Storm President, Carol Howard and Sales Manager Charlene Miller rated the show a great success based on the feedback they received from talking to many prospective customers. “This was our second year attending NATE. We met a lot of new potential customers and got reacquainted with many existing customers that came by to see what we are doing that’s new,” Miller said.

The hole pattern on Storm's busbars make it easy to position connections at a 45-degree angle.

“We don’t often get feedback from those who are on the front line, installing the components Storm builds, so it was very enlightening to hear what Jeremy Buckles had to say about our busbars,” said Dan Kitts, Storm’s co-owner.

Buckles and a co-worker stopped by after giving his presentation to say how much he liked Storm’s busbars because the hole pattern makes it very simple to comply with specifications of some of the more rigid cell phone companies. According to Buckles, Risk Management Supervisor for Com-Tec, sometimes busbars have to be mounted vertically, and the code requires a 45-degree connection. With the hole pattern on Storm’s busbars the connections line up perfectly and are simple to install due to the generous size and spacing.

The large copper peace sign hanging in the booth was a real traffic stopper, as people who recalled the symbol from the 60’s stopped by to pick up one as a memento. One man asked with a smile, “Will this get me in to Woodstock?”

NATE is an annual event designed to educate industry professionals, update attendees on safety concerns and give the various companies involved in supplying products a chance to display their products and services. While the show moves around the country, attendance this year could have been strong due to the Disney resort location. It gave everyone a chance to take care of business, and spend a little time in the Magic Kingdom. While the weather was a little cooler than normal for February in Florida, Storm staff members enjoyed the work and play before heading back to Tennessee.