Ground Wire for Lightning Protection

How Overhead Ground Wire Works

It's important to grasp how overhead ground wire works and why it's essential to any transmission or distribution system to fully understand OPGW's applications in various industries.

Telephone pole ground wires only carry current when struck by lightning. When lightning strikes, the static wire redirects that electricity along the wire's core. That interception is essential to protecting power and data transmission lines. Static shields have such a significant impact on power and data transmission lines' longevity that most modern transmission systems use two ground wires for lightning protection.

Current moving across an OPGW discharges energy as soon as possible. The static wire then directs the diffusing the strike's energy. Once the electricity is safely in the ground, the static shield is void of energy again. This lack of energy is why we use steel alloys to produce OPGW.

Ground Wire Specifications for Telecommunications

Bekaert can produce overhead ground wire for any application. We also manufacture your order to your specifications, including the number of wire per strand, the cable's minimum breaking strength and your coating's minimum weight. Choosing the right ground wire for use in telecommunications can help create corrosion resistance.

Corrosion is one of the leading causes of breakage. To counter the effects of long-term exposure, we offer several zinc coating options. At Bekaert, we provide Class A, Class B and Class C galvanized coatings. We also offer a coating exclusive to our clients — Bezinal®, an alloy made of steel and zinc. This coating performs well during our rigorous testing process.