FURSE® CONDUCTORS FOR LIGHTNING PROTECTION
ABB's Furse conductors range covers every conductor type and format needed to design and build the air termination network, down conductor system and earth termination network of a complete structural lightning protection system to IEC/BS EN 62305, from 25 x 3 mm flat tape in bare and PVC covered copper and aluminium for the majority of above-ground installations, to bare stranded copper cable up to 400 mm² for demanding earthing applications. With copper tape manufactured to BS EN 13601, aluminium tape and solid circular conductors to BS EN 755-5 and a full range of UV-stabilised PVC covered conductor options in seven standard colours, the Furse conductor range gives designers and installers the flexibility to specify the right conductor for every application and to match the system to the building fabric.
THE RIGHT CONDUCTOR, IN THE RIGHT MATERIAL, IN THE RIGHT FORMAT
By far the largest and most important component of any structural lightning protection or earthing system is the conductor itself. The choice of conductor type is likely to be the first decision a lightning protection designer makes, and it determines not only the electrical performance of the system but also its visual impact on the structure, the ease of installation on site and the long-term integrity of the installation in service.
ABB's Furse conductors range gives designers the complete selection needed to specify the correct conductor for every part of every system. Bare high conductivity copper tape is available from 12.5 x 1.5 mm up to 100 x 6 mm in a wide range of standard coil sizes, covering both structural lightning protection and below-ground earthing applications in a single range. Flat tape conductors are easy to install with no need to straighten for a neat finish, and tinned copper tape variants are available for applications requiring additional protection, with copper braid available for flexible applications such as moving installations including gates or doors. Bare aluminium tape is available from 12.5 x 1.5 mm to 50 x 6 mm for above-ground applications where material compatibility with the roof or structure is a consideration.
For installations where visual impact is a priority, the 8 mm diameter solid circular conductor range in copper and aluminium is less conspicuous than flat tape and lends itself to concealment, being easy to bend in any plane and quick to install from a coil with only a straightening tool required for a neat finish. PVC covered copper and aluminium solid circular conductors are available in five standard colours including black, grey, stone, white and brown. PVC covered copper tape is available in seven standard colours including black, green, grey, dark grey, stone, white and brown, in both 25 x 3 mm and 25 x 6 mm formats, with LSOH covered copper tape in green available for installations in 25 x 3 mm, 25 x 6 mm and 50 x 6 mm formats, and lead covered copper tape in 25 x 3 mm for specialist heritage or aggressive environment applications. A dedicated dark grey conductor range in both PVC covered tape and solid circular provides a consistent aesthetic for modern building installations.
For below-ground earthing installations and stranded conductor systems, bare soft drawn stranded copper cable is available from 6 mm² to 400 mm², manufactured to BS EN 60228, with tinned and hard drawn variants available for specialist applications. Green and yellow PVC insulated stranded copper cable is available from 16 mm² to 400 mm² to BS EN 6004 for earthing connections. Copper steel cable in AWG sizes 6 to 4/0 completes the range for applications requiring the combination of tensile strength and conductivity. Bare hard drawn copper bar is available from 25 x 3 mm to 100 x 6 mm for busbars and structural earthing applications.
KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS
<p>ABB's Furse conductors are designed and manufactured at the Furse facility in Nottingham, United Kingdom, where Furse has been developing lightning protection and earthing conductors for over 130 years. ABB offers full technical guidance on conductor selection and sizing to IEC/BS EN 62305 and BS 7430, including material selection, cross-sectional area determination based on fault current ratings, and colour selection for aesthetic integration, supported by a specialist team of lightning protection and earthing engineers available to advise on the correct conductor specification for any project.</p>
Comprehensive range
<p>The range covers bare copper tape from 12.5 x 1.5 mm to 100 x 6 mm, bare aluminium tape from 12.5 x 1.5 mm to 50 x 6 mm, tinned copper tape, bare 8 mm diameter solid circular in copper and aluminium, PVC covered solid circular in copper and aluminium in five colours, PVC covered copper and aluminium tape in seven colours, LSOH covered copper tape, lead covered copper tape, bare and PVC insulated stranded copper cable from 6 mm² to 400 mm², copper steel cable and hard drawn copper bar.</p>Flexible
<p>PVC covered copper tape and solid circular conductors are available in seven standard colours including black, green, grey, dark grey, stone, white and brown to match the most common building materials and facade finishes, all manufactured to BS 5252 colour standards, with a dedicated dark grey conductor range in both tape and solid circular formats for a consistent aesthetic on modern buildings, and special colours available to order to meet project-specific requirements.</p>Easy installation
<p>Flat tape conductors require no straightening for a neat finish and can be installed directly from the coil, while 8 mm solid circular conductor coils are easy to bend in any plane and require only a straightening tool to achieve a neat result, enabling rapid installation on site with minimal tooling, and all conductor types are sold in standard coil lengths for efficient handling and on-site storage.</p>Corrosion resistant
<p>Copper conductors offer high conductivity and excellent anticorrosive properties for use in air, in earth and in concrete throughout the service life of the lightning protection system, while tinned copper tape provides additional corrosion protection for demanding applications, LSOH covered tape eliminates halogen emission in enclosed spaces, and lead covered tape provides specialist protection for heritage and aggressive environment installations.</p>Durable
<p>PVC coverings on all copper and aluminium tape and solid circular conductors are UV-stabilised to reduce colour degradation by sunlight over the service life of the installation, and all PVC covered conductors are manufactured with consistent colour standards to BS 5252 to ensure a uniform appearance throughout the conductor network on the completed installation.</p>Safe
<p>LSOH covered copper tape conductors in green are available in 25 x 3 mm, 25 x 6 mm and 50 x 6 mm formats for installations in enclosed or occupied spaces where the emission of toxic or corrosive gases in the event of fire must be minimised, providing a safer alternative to standard PVC covered tape in applications such as building risers, plant rooms and occupied roof spaces.</p>Reliable
<p>Bare soft drawn stranded copper cable from 6 mm² to 400 mm², manufactured to BS EN 60228, provides a highly flexible conductor option for earthing connections, ground rings, bonding conductors and below-ground earthing installations, with fault current ratings from 1.3 kA for 1 second at 6 mm² through to a cross-sectional area of 400 mm² for high fault current installations, and tinned and hard drawn stranded variants available for specialist applications.</p>Compliant
<p>Certifications include BS EN 13601 (copper tape and solid circular conductors), BS EN 755-5 (aluminium tape and solid circular conductors), IEC/BS EN 62561-2 (aluminium tape), BS EN 60228 (soft drawn stranded copper cable), BS EN 7884 (hard drawn stranded copper cable), BS EN 50525 (PVC insulated stranded copper cable), BS EN 6004 (green and yellow PVC insulated stranded copper cable), BS 5252 (PVC conductor colours), BS 6746C (green PVC colour) and UL 96 (selected tinned copper tape and stranded conductor variants).</p>INDUSTRIES WE SUPPORT
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