Eliminating Losses Caused by Lightning Strikes from Sankosha U.S.A., Inc.

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SAN-EARTH® M5C Conductive Concrete
(Ground Enhancement Material)
Invented and patented by Sankosha, SAN-EARTH is used to build conductive concrete grounding electrodes. SAN-EARTH M5C is manufactured in accordance with Sankosha's ISO 9001 Quality Standards and conforms to IEC Standard 62561-7 which specifies the requirements and tests for earthing enhancing compounds producing low resistance of an earth termination system. SAN-EARTH M5C electrodes are easily installed by spreading the dry powder in a strip over and around a counterpoise conductor in a horizontal trench. When the trench is refilled SAN-EARTH absorbs moisture from the surrounding soil and hardens to become a conductive solid. The surface area of the electrode is dramatically increased, resistance to ground is substantially reduced and surge impedance is lowered significantly. Read the SAN-EARTH Technical Review for more details about grounding with SAN-EARTH

SAN-EARTH is also effective in building vertical electrodes. Typically installed as a slurry around the electrode in a hole 3-6 inches in diameter, SAN-EARTH ground enhancement material molds itself to the walls of the hole and hardens. Ideal contact with the surrounding soil is achieved and the diameter of the electrode effectively equals the diameter of the hole.

The consistent performance of SAN-EARTH M5C grounding systems has been monitored for 25 years. Independent testing has proven SAN-EARTH is environmentally safe and has shown that SAN-EARTH covered copper electrodes last ten times longer than bare copper ground wires.

SAN-EARTH electrodes provide the low resistance ground that is essential to any lightning protection system. Good grounds are possible even where soil resistivity is high. SAN-EARTH grounding electrodes are economical, environmentally safe and permanent.

Applications

Cellular Telephone Sites
Wind Farms
Electric Power Substations
Central Office Facilities
Microwave Towers
Electric Transmission Systems
Computer Systems

SAN-EARTH M5C Conductive Concrete FAQs
Question What is SAN-EARTH M5C conductive concrete?
Answer SAN-EARTH M5C is a fine cement-based powder that provides environmentally safe, long-term solutions to many grounding/earthing problems.

Question When was SAN-EARTH M5C first developed?
Answer SAN-EARTH M5C was first developed in the 1970s to aid in the earthing of electric power transmission towers in mountainous areas where construction is difficult and soil resistivity tends to be high.

Question How does it work?
Answer One of the basic principles in using SAN-EARTH M5C is to create the largest surface area possible that is in full contact with the surrounding soil. By doing this, any fault current event will be dissipated into the surrounding earth with the least resistance possible. SAN-EARTH M5C has been shown to reduce resistance to ground by up to 50%. The effective surface area of the SAN-EARTH M5C grounding electrode is more than 50 times larger than the counterpoise wire.

Question Are there various applications for SAN-EARTH M5C?
Answer Yes. SAN-EARTH M5C can be applied in many different areas of industry. These are just some of them: electric transmission and distribution towers, substations, surge protection, telecom networks, motorway and rail communication networks, fiber optics, computer systems and wind farms. SAN-EARTH M5C is typically used as a safe, long-term replacement for earthing rods

Question Do you need to mix SAN-EARTH M5C with water before installing?
Answer SAN-EARTH M5C is typically installed as a dry powder to create a horizontal electrode. However, it may also be mixed with water and applied as a mortar if space is limited and a vertical electrode is required.

Question Does SAN-EARTH M5C remain a powder?
Answer No. SAN-EARTH M5C is generally applied as a dry powder. Once covered and compacted, the powder draws in moisture from the surrounding earth and sets solid, achieving an ultimate strength in 28 days of about 3000 psi. SAN-EARTH M5C absorbs moisture from the surrounding soil and hardens to become a conductive solid. The surface area of the electrode is dramatically increased, resulting in significant reductions in both resistance to ground and surge impedance. In this way, SAN-EARTH M5C offers important advantages over chemically charged electrodes and other ground enhancement materials.

Question How is SAN-EARTH M5C typically installed in grounding applications?
Answer SAN-EARTH M5C is typically installed in one of two ways. Installing as a lateral electrode plate is the recommended method as this gives the best results. This is typically achieved by digging a trench and placing a copper counterpoise wire in the center and pouring a layer of SAN-EARTH M5C with the wire completely encased. The second typical installation is in a vertical hole around a grounding rod. It is recommended to mix the SAN-EARTH M5C with enough water so that it can easily be poured into the hole. Both methods will greatly improve the performance and life of the grounding system when compared to using bare copper wire or grounding rods

Question How many bags of SAN-EARTH M5C do I need to use for my application?
Answer Each 55 lb. bag contains 0.83ft3 (0.02342m3) of dry material. When mixed with water, the volume only slightly increases. You should know that placing 18 bags of SAN-EARTH M5C results in a resistance four times lower than would be achieved with four chemically charged ground rods and costs 65% less. Also, SAN-EARTH M5C sets up much better than other similar products, so less material is required. One bag is enough to install a two-foot-wide, tenfoot-long electrode. Other manufacturer’s specifications require three times as much material. For the two most common uses, refer to the following charts. For other methods, please contact Sankosha with your design requirements.

Learn the basics of grounding. Read the SAN-EARTH Technical Review.

More Information:

Sankosha U.S.A., Inc.
For over 75 years, Sankosha has developed and manufactured the Ceramic Gas Tube Surge Arrester (Gas Discharge Tube or GDT). Sankosha gas tube arresters protect personnel, equipment and circuitry from abnormally high voltages caused by lightning or electrical transients. Our surge protection devices have well defined surge-limiting characteristics enabling them to spark over (or breakdown) when the abnormal voltage on a line reaches a specific level. When sparkover occurs in the GDT, the surge is redirected to earth.

Sankosha’s gas tube arrestors are known for their quality. Throughout the world, products from our factories provide protection for equipment and personnel. Sankosha has been selling gas tube arresters in the U.S. since the seventies and Sankosha U.S.A., Inc., the company’s 100% owned subsidiary, was established in 1987 to better service the growing market in the Americas.

Different applications require different surge suppressors and Sankosha provides gas tubes to meet every need. Consumer electronics, modems, satellite, computer, CATV/Broadband, industrial, and telecom circuit protection are just a few areas that utilize our gas discharge tubes. Sankosha’s gas discharge tubes are extremely durable and provide the industry’s best impulse life specifications. They feature high surge ratings with very low capacitance and provide excellent response to fast rising transients.

Sankosha gas discharge tubes are available in axial leaded, radial leaded, surface mount, and special packages. High voltage gas tube models like the Y08SV-312B are designed for power supply applications where HiPot testing is required, and we also manufacture very small gas tube arrester models for surface mount applications where real estate is at a premium. Sankosha’s GDT’s come in both two and three electrode configurations. Discharge voltages from 75V to 6000V are available.

Sankosha’s RJ45 LAN SPD provide reliable surge protection of GigE (1000Base-T), 100Base-TX, 10Base-T and Power Over Ethernet (PoE) equipment. All four compact Local Area Network modules are equipped with RJ45 Connectors and can be used as stand alone surge protection devices. They are also designed with integrated clips for easy installation on a standard 35mm DIN rail.

In the 1970’s, Sankosha developed SAN-EARTH, the original conductive concrete groundbed. SAN-EARTH M5C is a fine powder used to build highly effective environmentally safe permanent grounding electrodes. SAN-EARTH M5C is manufactured in accordance with Sankosha’s ISO 9001 Quality Standards and conforms to IEC Standard 62561-7 which specifies the requirements and tests for earthing enhancing compounds producing low resistance of an earth termination system. Safe, economical and permanent, SAN-EARTH is the best grounding solution for both equipment performance and personnel safety.