Earthing
Furse | Earthing & Lightning Protection Design Services & Solutions
September 11th, 2019
Thorne & Derrick: Stockists & Suppliers of Furse Products
Furse
Thorne and Derrick are stockists and suppliers of Furse Earthing and Lightning Protection products. Acquired by the ABB Group, Furse is established as the world leader for earthing and lightning protection.
Lightning is a real and significant threat – which is why there is a need for a total solution (for more, see Furse).
💡 Experience
Furse has over 125 years of experience to provide the optimum design; using minimal material to save you money.
💡 Expertise
Specialist advice is provided from fully qualified technical engineers – focusing on earthing and lightning protection concerns.
💡 Knowledge
The most appropriate and up to date products are used due to exceptional knowledge of the latest materials
💡 Compliance
Furse designs comply with all national and international standards, ensuring they remain at the forefront of new developments.
- NFPA 780 Standard for the installation of lightning protection systems
- IEEE Std 80:2013 IEEE Guide for safety in AC substation grounding
- ENA TS 41-24 Guidelines for the design, installation, testing & maintenance of main earthing systems in substations
- BS EN 50522:2010 – Earthing of power installations exceeding 1.k Vac • SS 555
- BS EN/IEC 62305 Protection against lightning
Technical Earthing Solutions
Lightning Protection Solutions – Furse have a team of experienced engineers: engineering designs to meet client specifications and conducting risk assessment, complying to the latest standards.
Experienced Surveyors – Accurate surveys are the key to creating effective earthing systems. Multiple readings are taken to ensure safe and accurate designs.
Analysis & Earthing Design – The latest CDEGS software is used to optimise designs. A range of detailed reports are produced to meet clients’ requirements.
Earth Resistance Testing – The verification of earthing design is validated through measurement. An experienced team of engineers with a full understanding of electrode testing will conduct this.
💡 NEWS: Researchers map timing and location of rare lightning “superbolts.”
Superbolts release a thousand times more energy (at least) than the average lightning strike and tend to occur mostly over oceans and seas. Forrest Moreland via Unsplash
Furse Design services, site surveys & analysis
Earthing & Lightning Protection experts Furse provide Focused Technical Design Services | Image: Voltimum.co.uk
Earthing & Lightning Protection Solutions
Why choose Furse?
There are many benefits to choosing Furse for earthing and lightning protection analysis. They offer specialist advice from a fully qualified technical team, focusing on earthing and lightning protection. European and International standards are followed, which ensures that engineers remain at the focus of new developments.
Furse recognises that it is their responsibility to provide safe designs – and they always ensure to provide an optimum design, using minimal material and saving you money. By Utilising product knowledge and experience, designs are tailored and installed using the most appropriate products.
Soil Resistivity Surveys
A comprehensive soil resistivity survey is key to creating an effective earthing system; as opposed to inadequate or erroneous soil resistivity readings, which are likely to result in a flawed design.
Furse site surveys take multiple accurate soil resistivity readings at various depths across the site. As these results form the basis of the whole earthing design, the experience of engineers is critical in ensuring the correct implementation of the test data.
Analysis & Earthing Design
Furse can produce detailed earth electrode and lightning protection system designs. These are created through the use of the latest computer-aided design and modelling software and comply with recognised standards. Designs are also created to any complexity requirement or budgetary need. State-of-the-art software is used for full earthing analysis to determine step and touch voltages, potential rise and hot/cold classification of the site.
Earth Resistance Measurement
Earth resistance measurement is essential to accurately determine that the installed earthing system meets the criteria from initial design.
Furse technicians ensure all measurements are correctly taken and interpreted so that the true resistance of the earthing system can be accurately determined.
the total Furse solution
As the world leader in lightning protection services, Furse is committed to providing a good quality total solution.
 Structural Lightning Protection
Furse offers a range of air termination systems, including strike plates and air rods to capture lightning strikes. They also offer an extensive range of down conductors and lightning protection components which channel lightning energy safely to a Furse earth termination network.
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 Earthing
A combination of earth electrodes, as well as FurseCEM soil conductive back-fills and conductors, are offered from Furse. Equipotential bonding bars are also supplied to provide effective, low resistance dissipation from the lightning protection systems to earth.
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 Electronic Systems Protection
Furse has an exhaustive range of equipotential bonding and transient overvoltage SPDs. These provide fully coordinated protection against transient overvoltages, on all incoming and outgoing metallic service lines – including power, data, signal and telecoms.
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 FurseWELD – Exothermic Welding
FurseWELD exothermic welding is a cost-efficient and self-contained system. It uses the high-temperature reaction of powdered copper oxide and aluminium, within a mould, to form permanent electrical connections.
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Industries
Furse has shared its expertise with the following industries. 
- Oil & Gas / Petrochemical
- Utilities
- Rail & Infrastructure
- High Tech & Industrial
- Commercial Construction
- Ports & Recreation
- Government & Public Sector
For the full case study, visit the PDF in Further Reading.
Further Reading
FurseCEM Earthing Conductive Aggregate Concrete
THORNE & DERRICK
Thorne & Derrick are national distributors of LV, MV & HV Cable Installation, Jointing, Substation & Electrical Equipment – servicing businesses involved in cabling, jointing, substation, earthing, overhead line and electrical construction at LV, 11kV, 33kV, 66kV and EHV. Supplying a complete range of power cable accessories to support the installation and maintenance of low/medium and high voltage power systems:
- Slip-on Cable Terminations
- Cold-shrink Cable Terminations
- Heat-shrink Cable Terminations
- Cable Joints – Heat & Cold-shrink
- Separable Connectors (Euromold)
- Surge Arresters & Switchgear/Transformer Bushings
Key Product Categories: Duct Seals | Cable Cleats | Cable Glands | Electrical Safety | Arc Flash Protection | Cable Jointing Tools | Cable Pulling | Earthing | Feeder Pillars | Cable Joints LV | Joints & Terminations MV HV
Furse
September 9th, 2019
Thorne & Derrick: Stockists & Suppliers of Furse Products
Earthing & Lightning Protection
A Supplier Overview
Since 1893, Furse has provided world leading Earthing, Lightning and Electronic Systems protection solutions.
Furse have over 125 years of experience, and design and manufacture their own products. From design and manufacture, through to risk assessment and systems design advice, Furse offers an acclaimed total solution for earthing and lightning protection.
Furse has remained a constant force in an unpredictable world; even throughout a century that has seen such remarkable social and technological change. Acquired by ABB Group in 2012, the Furse brand is established as a world leader in earthing and lightning protection, with products specified and installed in many distinguished projects globally.
The combined expertise of Furse and the experience within the electrical sector that ABB provides, allows them to share the knowledge they hold in key industry sectors with customers. This results in properly informed decision making on the best earthing and lightning protection solutions. Furse earthing analysis uses state-of-the-art software to determine the step and touch voltages, earth potential rise and fall, and hot/cold site classification of the site generated by the initial design.
Photo by David Moum on Unsplash
Services include:
- Lightning Protection Solutions
- Soil Resistivity Surveys
- Analysis & Earthing Design
- Earth Resistance Testing
The expertise and experience of which Furse have attained has constructed and helped to develop their exceptional service; offering specialist advice from fully qualified engineers, as well as solutions that save money and use minimal material. Furse also offer design solutions: using the latest computer aided design and modelling software to produce detailed system designs for any complexity.
This produces high quality earth electrode and lightning protection designs, in compliance with globally recognised standards. Designs are tailored and installed using the most appropriate and up-to-date products. Knowledge of the latest standards ensures designs and products comply with the latest IEC/BS EN/NFPA/UL standards.
why do we need lightning protection?
Lightning is a real and significant threat. Containing astonishing amounts of electrical energy. Lightning discharges have been measured from several thousand to over 200,000 Amps (enough to light half a million 100 Watt bulbs). Although very short in duration, a lightning strike can cause tremendous damage and destruction.
Devastating consequences:
- Direct lightning strikes damage structures, and create fire, explosion and electric shock hazards.
- Indirect lightning (up to a kilometre away) creates transient over voltages which degrade electronic systems and disrupt essential services.
While the effects of a direct lightning strike are immediately obvious, secondary effects of lightning can be less visible; which can lead to equally catastrophic devastation, and damage to electronic systems within structures.
These frightening photos of lightning from a hurricane above Miami, Florida in the USA were taken after the storm left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean. Credit: Chad Weisser | Caters News
The need for a total solution
Lightning protection throughout the world is now governed by National and International standards which stress the need for a comprehensive solution. A structural lightning protection system cannot and will not protect electronic systems from lightning currents and transient over voltages. This is why a total solution to earthing and lightning protection is encouraged. This approach to lightning protection is now fully endorsed by the IEC/BS EN 62305, as well as NFPA 780 standards.
Buy A Copy Of The NFPA 780 Lightning Protection Systems Standards.
Furse delivers an approach demonstrating effective life safety, as well as long lasting and reliable protection of a structure and the electronic systems within. This solution is tailored and covers a wide range of sectors; providing dependable, long term lightning protection and earthing.
Furse Products
Contact Thorne & Derrick for competitive prices on the complete range of Furse products.
- Conductors
- Bare conductors, bare stranded & tinned conductors
- Hard drawn bar & PVC covered conductors
- PVC covered conductors & guards
- Air Termination
- Air terminals, bases, brackets & couplings
- Multiple point, strike pad & free-standing air termination
- Conductor Network
- Conductor clips
- Standing seam roof fixings, puddle flange and holdfasts
- Trapezoidal holdfasts and conductor clamps
- Earth Electrodes
- Earth rods & seal
- Inspection pits, plate, lattice & backfill materials
- Earth Bonds & Clamps
- Mechanical clamps
- Earth boss & bonds
- Earth points & splitbolt connectors
- Static earth connection points, flexible braid bonds & static earth clamps
- Earth Bars
- Earth bar & earth bars with single disconnecting link
- Earth bar with twin disconnecting link & accessories
- FurseWELD
- FurseWELD exothermic welding
- Electronic Systems Supplies
- Surge protection devices (SPDs) for mains power supplies
- Surge protection devices (SPDs) for data, signal and telephone lines
- Surge protection devices (SPDs) for computer and telephone lines
- Surge protection devices (SPDs) for specific systems
over 125 years of history
Furse has remained a constant force in an unpredictable world, through all the century could throw at it.
Further Reading
FurseCEM Earthing Conductive Aggregate Concrete
Furse Earthing & Lightning Protection Design Services & Solutions
THORNE & DERRICK
Thorne & Derrick are national distributors of LV, MV & HV Cable Installation, Jointing, Substation & Electrical Equipment – servicing businesses involved in cabling, jointing, substation, earthing, overhead line and electrical construction at LV, 11kV, 33kV, 66kV and EHV. Supplying a complete range of power cable accessories to support the installation and maintenance of low/medium and high voltage voltage power systems:
- Slip-on Cable Terminations
- Cold-shrink Cable Terminations
- Heat-shrink Cable Terminations
- Cable Joints – Heat & Cold-shrink
- Separable Connectors (Euromold)
- Surge Arresters & Switchgear/Transformer Bushings
Key Product Categories: Duct Seals | Cable Cleats | Cable Glands | Electrical Safety | Arc Flash Protection | Cable Jointing Tools | Cable Pulling | Earthing | Feeder Pillars | Cable Joints LV | Joints & Terminations MV HV
Earthing | An Introduction To Earthing & Earthing Designs | Part One
August 19th, 2019
An Introduction To Earthing & Earthing Designs
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uploaded by Chris Dodds - Thorne & Derrick Sales & Marketing Manager
Earthing
Earthing & Earthing Designs
AN Wallis
In this 2 part series of articles AN Wallis introduces earthing system designs including earth electrode systems designed to safely dissipate fault current or other unwanted electrical current to the general mass of earth and also an introduction to lightning protection focusing on systems, strategies and earth terminations and networks.
An earth electrode system, professionally designed by competent Engineers, is essential to ensure the safety of personnel and the protection of equipment from dangerous voltages in and around LV MV HV substations.
AN Wallis are able to offer earth electrode system designs and associated testing services using the most up-to-date equipment and design software ‘CDEGS’. All this is carried out by competent and highly experienced Electrical Engineers and Technicians.
All design works are carried out in accordance with BS 7430:2011 — The code of practice for protective earthing of electrical installations and BS EN 50522:2010 — Earthing of power installations exceeding 1 kV a. c. amongst other specifications.
All materials supplied by A. N. Wallis have been tested and certified by an independent body ensuring the highest quality materials are made available to you.
➡ Lightning | An Introduction To Lightning Protection | Networks, Strategy & Systems | Part Two
Earthing System Design
Considerations
An earth electrode system should be designed to safely dissipate fault current or other unwanted electrical current to the general mass of earth. This could include power transmission and distribution, static dissipation, lightning protection as well as other associated systems.
The main considerations of an earth electrode system design should be:
- Is the system safe and suitable for the purpose for which it is intended?
- Is the system rated to carry the design fault currents?
To achieve this a number of steps are required and are detailed below.
Soil Resistivity Surveys
BS 7430:2011 states that ‘on-site resistivity testing should always be carried out prior to carrying out an earth system design and installation’.
The soil resistivity survey is the first step in ensuring the correct design of an earth electrode system. It is essential that accurate measurements are taken at this stage as this data is used to determine what conductors are required in the finished earthing system to give a safe and suitable design. Corrupt data taken with inadequate test equipment could lead to a vastly over- or under-engineered solution.
AN Wallis use high specification test equipment to carry out soil resistivity testing, gaining data from tried and tested methods. This raw data is then analysed using CDEGS software to produce a representative electrical equivalent soil model which can then be used in the earthing design process.
Earth Electrode System Design
Earth Rods
There are many factors that go into producing a compliant earth electrode system design: fault current levels, fault duration, ground make up and interconnected sites are but a few.
All of the parameters are analysed using the CDEGS software to ensure Touch, Step and Rise of Earth Potentials are within safe levels.
Our team of competent Engineers consider all of the above and more to ensure the final design is not only safe and suitable for its purpose, but also to ensure the system can be installed using the most economic processes giving you the most cost effective solution.
Overall System Testing
BS 7430:2011 states that ‘all work should be carried out under the control and direction of a competent person.’
AN Wallis are able to offer test and inspection services for both new and existing installations. All works are carried out in accordance with BS 7430:2011 by our trained and competent Engineers and Technicians.
The period between periodic inspection and tests can only be determined by the environment that the system is installed in, for example the harsher the environment the more regular the inspection.
Please feel free to contact us to discuss your particular requirements.
Earthing – Copper Earth Tapes | Bars | Clamps | Rods
THORNE & DERRICK
T&D are Specialist Distributors to UK Distribution Network Operators (DNO’s), NERS Registered Service Providers, ICP’s and HV Jointing Contractors of an extensive range of LV, MV & HV Jointing, Earthing, Substation & Electrical Eqpt – this includes 11kV/33kV/66kV cable joints, terminations and connectors for both DNO and private network applications.
Contact our UK Power Team for competitive quotations, fast delivery from stock and technical support or training on all LV-HV products.
Key Product Categories: Duct Seals | Cable Cleats | Cable Glands | Electrical Safety | Arc Flash Protection | Cable Jointing Tools | Cable Pulling | Earthing | Feeder Pillars | Cable Joints LV | Joints & Terminations MV HV
Marconite Electrically Conductive Earthing Aggregate
January 24th, 2019
Marconite – Electrically Conductive Aggregate Material
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uploaded by Chris Dodds - Thorne & Derrick Sales & Marketing Manager
About Marconite
Marconite, the low resistant earthing solution, combined with copper earth rods and copper lattice mats has been delivered from stock to provide essential earthing protection to vital S&T infrastructure on the Network Rail infrastructure in the UK.
Marconite, the electrically conductive aggregate material, conducts electricity much in the same way as metals, through the movement of electrons.
Traditional earthing materials, such as Bentonite, conduct electricity through the movement of charged ions. These ions require the presence of an effective electrolyte, such as water and the presence of salts. Unlike Marconite, ionic based systems are subject to drying out and without water they do not conduct electricity.
Bentonite
Marconite does not need water to conduct electricity and so does not suffer any effects from drying out.
Marconite is the world’s premium electrically conductive aggregate material. Used as a backfill to enhance the effects of earth electrodes, such as copper bond earth rods, Marconite enables electrical and civil engineers to achieve permanent, stable and low resistance earthing solutions, even in difficult ground conditions.
Specifically developed for the needs of the earthing industry, for over 40 years Marconite has allowed electrical engineers to tackle the toughest conditions and achieve the satisfactory earthing of installations throughout the world.
Marconite is a synthetic material manufactured specifically for use in earthing applications and, unlike Bentonite, it is not a naturally occurring mineral or ore.
Marconite has distinctive properties result from a unique manufacturing process, utilising specific raw material feedstocks, carefully selected and mixed in tightly controlled ratio’s before undergoing a range manufacturing process and thermal treatments.
Earthing Compounds
The resulting product is a precisely measured, granular material, dark grey in colour, that is virtually dust free and with exceptional electrical properties. This is then packaged in high strength, UV resistant valve topped sacks and palletised.
Marconite is the low resistant building and substation earthing solution for rail projects.
Marconite Conductive Concrete is a registered product of the James Durrans Group and is solely produced by their subsidiary company Carbon International Limited. T&D provide fast delivery and competitive prices for genuine Marconite brand Earthing Products.
MORE MARCONITE READING
- Marconite – Electrically Conductive Earthing Compound
- Marconite Earthing – Conductive Concrete, Mixing & Use Of Marconite
- FurseCEM Earthing Conductive Aggregate Concrete
Contact T&D for Copper Earthing Tapes – Bare Tape & Covered
SUBSTATION EARTHING & MV HV CABLE JOINTING
To complement Earthing & Lightning Protection products we stock and distribute the most extensive range of copper earthing equipment.
Thorne & Derrick – Stockists & Suppliers of MV HV Joints, Terminations & Connectors
Marconite – Worlds Premium Electrically Conductive Aggregate Material
January 24th, 2019
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uploaded by Chris Dodds - Thorne & Derrick Sales & Marketing Manager
Marconite
Thorne & Derrick are a leading distributor of Earthing & Lightning Protection Systems, including Marconite, the world’s premium electrically conductive aggregate material.
Marconite compound is used as a backfill to enhance the earthing effects of copper earthing rods – Marconite enables permanent, stable and low resistance earthing solutions even in difficult ground and soil conditions.
Pictured below T&D off-loading recent Marconite delivery of over 1000no 25kg bags – T&D can provide most competitive prices and delivery schedules for Marconite in the UK.
Marconite Benefits
- Low resistivity – 0.001 ohm.m is extremely low when compared to Bentonite type earthing compounds with resistivity at 3 ohm.m
- Versatile – Marconite is suitable for most ground conditions and becomes a permanent, solid structure that is not prone to shrinking, drying out or being washed away
- Cost effective- permanent earthing solution, there is no need to remove and replace or “maintain” with additional water/salts every few years in order to achieve the desired earth values
- Chemically inert – non-corrosive to steel or copper earthing products, Marconite does not attack cement structures and has a pH within the neutral range
- High strength – Marconite can be used as part of the building structure itself and can achieve strengths higher than Grade 25 concrete
Thorne & Derrick are distributors of LV-HV Cable Installation, Cable Jointing & Electrical Equipment – we service UK and global businesses involved in cable installations, cable jointing, earthing, substation and electrical construction at LV, 11kV, 33kV and EHV.
T&D service utilities, power, construction, rail, mining, offshore, oil, gas and petrochemical industries. T&D distribute Electrical Safety Equipment protecting workers on underground cables, overhead powerlines, switchgear and substations at LV, MV and HV.
More Marconite Reading
- Marconite – Electrically Conductive Earthing Compound
- Marconite Earthing – Conductive Concrete, Mixing & Use Of Marconite
- FurseCEM Earthing Conductive Aggregate Concrete
Contact T&D for Copper Earthing Tapes – Bare Tape & Covered
SUBSTATION EARTHING & MV HV CABLE JOINTING
To complement Earthing & Lightning Protection products we stock and distribute the most extensive range of copper earthing equipment.
