BRITISH STANDARD BS EN

50164-7:2008

Lightning Protection
Components (LPC) —
Part 7: Requirements for earthing
enhancing compounds

ICS 91.120.40

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BS EN 50164-7:2008

National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 50164-7:2008.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee
GEL/81, Protection against lightning.
A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on
request to its secretary.
This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from
legal obligations.

This British Standard was Amendments/corrigenda issued since publication

published under the authority
of the Standards Policy and
Strategy Committee Date Comments
on 30 September 2008

© BSI 2008

ISBN 978 0 580 52981 8

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 50164-7
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM August 2008

ICS 91.120.40

English version

Lightning Protection Components (LPC) -

Part 7: Requirements for earthing enhancing compounds

Composants de protection Blitzschutzbauteile -

contre la foudre (CPF) - Teil 7: Anforderungen an Mittel
Partie 7: Prescriptions zur Verbesserung der Erdung
pour les enrichisseurs de terre

This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2008-04-01. CENELEC members are bound to comply
with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard
the status of a national standard without any alteration.

Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on
application to the Central Secretariat or to any CENELEC member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified
to the Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.

CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

CENELEC
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung

Central Secretariat: rue de Stassart 35, B - 1050 Brussels

© 2008 CENELEC - All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC members.

Ref. No. EN 50164-7:2008 E

BS EN 50164-7:2008
EN 50164-7:2008 –2–

Foreword
This European Standard was prepared by the Technical Committee CENELEC TC 81X, Lightning
protection.

The text of the draft was submitted to the Unique Acceptance procedure and was approved by
CENELEC as EN 50164-7 on 2008-04-01.

The following dates were fixed:

– latest date by which the EN has to be implemented

at national level by publication of an identical
national standard or by endorsement (dop) 2009-04-01

– latest date by which the national standards conflicting

with the EN have to be withdrawn (dow) 2011-04-01

EN 50164 is a family standard and consists of the following parts under the generic title “Lightning
Protection Components (LPC)”:

Part 1 Requirements for connection components

Part 2 Requirements for conductors and earth electrodes

Part 3 Requirements for isolating spark gaps

Part 4 Requirements for conductor fasteners

Part 5 1) Requirements for earth electrode inspection housings and earth electrode seals

Part 6 1) Requirements for lightning strike counters

Part 7 Requirements for earthing enhancing compounds

__________

1) In preparation.
 BS EN 50164-7:2008
–3– EN 50164-7:2008

Contents
Page

1 Scope .............................................................................................................................. 4
2 Normative references ..................................................................................................... 4
3 Definitions ...................................................................................................................... 4
4 Requirements.................................................................................................................. 4
4.1 Documentation ........................................................................................................ 5
4.2 Material ................................................................................................................... 5
4.3 Marking ................................................................................................................... 5
5 Tests ............................................................................................................................... 5
5.1 General ................................................................................................................... 5
5.2 pH measurement ..................................................................................................... 5
5.3 Solubility in acidic environment ............................................................................... 6
5.4 Sulphur determination ............................................................................................. 8
5.5 Determination of conductivity .................................................................................. 8
5.6 Determination of efficiency of improvement of contact surface area of the
electrode ................................................................................................................. 8
5.7 Marking and indications ........................................................................................... 9
6 Structure and content of the test report ........................................................................ 9
6.1 Report identification ................................................................................................ 9
6.2 Specimen description ............................................................................................ 10
6.3 Standards and references ..................................................................................... 10
6.4 Test procedure ...................................................................................................... 10
6.5 Testing equipment, description .............................................................................. 10
6.6 Measuring Instruments description ........................................................................ 10
6.7 Results and parameters recorded .......................................................................... 10
BS EN 50164-7:2008
EN 50164-7:2008 –4–

1 Scope
This European Standard specifies the requirements and tests for

– earthing enhancing compounds increasing the contact surface area of the earth electrode.
NOTE Refill products are not within the scope of this European Standard.

2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.

EN 62305-1 Protection against lightning – Part 1: General principles (IEC 62305-1)

EN 62305-3 Protection against lightning – Part 3: Physical damage to structures and life
hazard (IEC 62305-3, mod.)

EN 62305-4 Protection against lightning – Part 4: Electrical and electronic systems within
structures (IEC 62305-4)

EN 12457-2 Characterization of waste – Leaching – Compliance test for leaching of granular

waste materials and sludges – Part 2: One stage batch test at a liquid to solid
ratio of 10 l/kg for materials with particle size below 4 mm (without or with size
reduction)

EN 12506 Characterization of waste – Analysis of eluates – Determination of pH, As, Ba,

- 2- 2-
Cd, Cl , Co, Cr, Cr Vl, Cu, Mo, Ni, NO , Pb, total S, SO4 , V and Zn

ISO 4689-3 2004 Iron ores – Determination of sulfur content – Part 3: Combustion/infrared
method

3 Definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

3.1
earthing enhancing compound
compound improving the contact surface of the earth electrode without damaging the electrodes or
polluting the environment

3.2
manufacturer’s, supplier’s instructions
written instructions provided by the manufacturer or the supplier in his documentation (see 4.1)

3.3
leaching test
test during which is put into contact with a leachant and some constituents of the material are
extracted
4 Requirements
Earthing enhancing compounds shall be so designed and constructed that in normal use their
performance is reliable and without danger to persons and the surrounding.

The choice of a material depends on its ability to match the particular application requirements.
 BS EN 50164-7:2008
–5– EN 50164-7:2008

4.1 Documentation

The manufacturer or supplier of the earthing enhancing compounds shall provide adequate
information in his literature to ensure that the installer can select and install the materials in a suitable
and safe manner.

Compliance is checked by inspection.

4.2 Material

The material of the earthing enhancing compound must exhibit low specific resistance and chemically
inert to subsoil. It must not pollute the environment. It must be insoluble in water. Its aquatic
suspension must not exhibit an acidic pH. It must not contain substances corrosive to the earth
electrodes. It must be inert to steel, stainless steel, zinc, copper.

4.3 Marking

All products complying with this standard shall be marked at least with the following:

a) manufacturer's or responsible vendor's name or trade mark,

b) identifying symbol.

Where this proves to be impractical the marking in accordance with b) may be given on the smallest
packing unit.
NOTE Marking may be applied for example by moulding, pressing, engraving, printing adhesive labels, or water slide transfers.

Compliance is checked in accordance with 5.7.

5 Tests
5.1 General

The tests in accordance with this standard are type tests.

– Unless otherwise specified, tests are carried out with the specimens prepared as in normal use
according to the manufacturer's or supplier's instructions.

– All tests are carried out on new specimens.

– Unless otherwise specified, three samples are subjected to the tests and the requirements are
satisfied if all the tests are met. If only one of the test does not meet the passing criteria , that test
and any preceding one which may have influenced the results of the test shall be repeated and
also the tests which follow shall be carried out in the required sequence.
NOTE The applicant, when submitting the material to be tested, may also submit an additional quantity which may be
necessary should one test fail. The testing station will then, without further request, repeat the test and will reject only if a further
failure occurs. If the additional sample is not submitted at the same time, the failure of one test will entail rejection.

5.2 pH measurement

This test covers the procedure for determining the pH of slurries coming from the materials used as
earthing enhancing compound. The significance of the test is important because they must be
physically and chemically inert with the earth electrodes, to avoid corrosion and the surrounding
environment.
BS EN 50164-7:2008
EN 50164-7:2008 –6–

5.2.1 Testing apparatus

– Any reliable pH meter with a standard electrode for measuring viscous slurries or for measuring soils

– Standard pH reference solution

– Deionised water

– Glassware

– Mixer

– Balance with an accuracy of ± 0,01 g

5.2.2 Test preparation

The volume of the material to be tested shall be the appropriate to perform the test.

– If the material is provided commercially in wet form, then it must be tested as received.

– If the material is provided commercially in dry form and used in wet form, then a slurry must be
prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Care must be taken during slurry
preparation. The produced slurry shall be homogenous without any coagulates.

– If the material is provided commercially and used in dry form, then it must be tested as received.

5.2.3 Procedure of test

– The pH meter will be calibrated with the reference solution.

– Read and report pH.

5.2.4 Passing criteria

The material is deemed to have passed the test if all the measured values are > 8.

The property of the material is determined by the average value of the three independent measurements.

5.3 Solubility in acidic environment

This test covers the procedure for determining the solubility of the material used in earthing in acidic
environment. It is considered that this test covers the requirements for the solubility of the material in
the water. The significance of the test of such materials is important because they must be stable with
time (provide continuous and stable connection of the electrode with the subsoil).

5.3.1 Testing apparatus

– Glassware

– Mixer or stirrer

– Balance with an accuracy of ± 0,01 g

– Oven operating at 105 °C

– 10 % solution of sulphuric acid in de-ionized water

– Filter paper – Whatman #3 or equivalent

 BS EN 50164-7:2008
–7– EN 50164-7:2008

5.3.2 Test preparation

– If the material is provided commercially in wet form, then adequate quantity must be dried at
105 °C overnight in order to test the material in dry form.

– If the material is provided commercially in dry form, then it must be tested as received. However
adequate quantity must stay at 105 °C overnight in order to remove any moisture.

5.3.3 Procedure of test

5 g (= W1) of pre-dried material are weighted with an accuracy of ± 0,01 g and added to 500 ml of
dilute acid solution 10 % under stirring.

After 30 min ± 1 min of stirring, the slurry is filtered. The filtered material is dried at 105 °C ± 5 °C until
constant weight. The resultant weight is recorded as W2.
NOTE 1 The filter papers must be dry. They can be kept in a dryer. Before filtration their weight must be measured in order to
be able to determine the weight of the tested material:

W2 = (Balance indication) – (Filter weight)

NOTE 2 The weighted materials (filter – tested material) must have the environmental temperature. For this reason, after
taking out of the oven, they must be kept in a dryer until they are cooled down.

The solubility of the material is determined as:

S (%) = 100 * (W1 – W2)/W1

5.3.4 Passing criteria

The material is deemed to have passed the test if the measured value is less than 25 %.

5.3.5 Determination of leachable ions

This test covers the procedure for determining the leachable ions of the materials used in earthing.
The significance of the test of the materials used as earthing improver must be inert to subsoil and
they must not pollute the environment and also not cause corrosion to the earth electrode. For these
reasons the determination of the leachable ion concentrations is of great importance.

5.3.6 Leaching test

Leaching test should be performed according to EN 12457-2:

– Fe (iron)

– Cu (copper)

– Zn (zinc)

– Ni (nickel)

– Cd (cadmium)

– Co (cobalt)

– Pb (lead)

5.3.7 Determination of leachable ions

Determination of the concentrations of constituents of interest should be performed according to

EN 12506.
BS EN 50164-7:2008
EN 50164-7:2008 –8–

5.3.8 Passing criteria

Under consideration.
NOTE The criteria are given by national or international standards regarding environmental regulations (see European
requirements).

5.4 Sulphur determination

Test for the determination of sulphur should be performed according to ISO 4689-3:2004.

Passing criteria: The material is deemed to have passed the test if all measured values are less than
2 %.

5.5 Determination of conductivity

This test covers the procedure for determining the conductivity of slurries coming from the materials
used in earthing. The significance of the test is important because they must provide a constant
electrical contact of the electrodes with the subsoil.

5.5.1 Testing apparatus

– Any reliable conductivity meter with a standard electrode for measuring high conductivity values

– Standard conductivity reference material

– Distilled water

– Glassware

– Mixer

– Balance with an accuracy of ± 0,01 g

5.5.2 Test preparation

– If the material is provided commercially in dry form, then slurry must be prepared according to the
manufacturer’s instructions.

– If the material is provided commercially in wet form, then it must be tested as received.

5.5.3 Procedure of test

– The conductivity meter will be standardized with the reference material.

– Read and report conductivity.

5.5.4 Passing criteria

The material is deemed to have passed the test if the measured value is higher than 2 mS/cm.

The property of the material is determined by the average value of the three independent
measurements.

5.6 Determination of efficiency of improvement of contact surface area of the electrode

Under consideration.
 BS EN 50164-7:2008
–9– EN 50164-7:2008

5.7 Marking and indications

On each packing unit must be reproduced in an indelible way:

a) the name of the manufacturer or his trademark,

b) the reference of the type or the serial number,

c) installation instructions,

d) the conductivity or / and the resistivity of the material,

e) conformity to the present standard.

The above can be carried on the packing and/or in installation data sheet and/or the catalogue of the
manufacturer.

The marking is checked by inspection.

6 Structure and content of the test report

The purpose of this instruction is to provide general requirements for laboratory test reports. This
document is intended to promote clear, complete reporting procedures for laboratories submitting test
reports.

The results of each test carried out by the laboratory shall be reported accurately, clearly,
unambiguously and objectively, in accordance with any instructions in the test methods. The results
shall be reported in a test report and shall include all the information necessary for the interpretation of
the test results and all information required by the method used.

Particular care and attention shall be paid to the arrangement of the report, especially with regard to
presentation of the test data and ease of assimilation by the reader. The format shall be carefully and
specifically designed for each type of test carried out, but the headings shall be standardized as
indicated herein.

The structure of each report shall include at least information according to 6.1 to 6.7.

6.1 Report identification

6.1.1 Title or subject of the report

6.1.2 Name, address and telephone number of the test laboratory

6.1.3 Name, address and telephone number of the sub test laboratory where the test was carried
out if different from company which has been assigned to perform the test

6.1.4 Unique identification number (or serial number) of the test report

6.1.5 Name and address of the vendor

6.1.6 Report shall be paginated and the total number of pages indicated

6.1.7 Date of issue of report

6.1.8 Date(s) of performance of test(s)

6.1.9 Signature and title, or an equivalent identification of the person(s) authorized to sign for the
testing laboratory for the content of the report

6.1.10 Signature and title of person(s) conducting the test

BS EN 50164-7:2008
EN 50164-7:2008 – 10 –

6.2 Specimen description

6.2.1 Sample description

6.2.2 Detailed description and unambiguous identification of the test sample and/or test assembly

6.2.3 Characterization and condition of the test sample and/or test assembly

6.2.4 Sampling procedure, where relevant

6.2.5 Date of receipt of test items

6.2.6 Photographs, drawings or any other visual documentation, if available

6.3 Standards and references

6.3.1 Identification of the test standard used and the date of issue of the standard

6.3.2 Other relevant documentation with the documentation date

6.4 Test procedure

6.4.1 Description of the test procedure

6.4.2 Justification for any deviations from, additions to or exclusions from the referenced standard

6.4.3 Any other information relevant to a specific test such as environmental conditions

6.4.4 Configuration of testing assembly

6.4.5 Location of the arrangement in the testing area and measuring techniques

6.5 Testing equipment description

6.5.1 Description of equipment used for every test conducted i.e. conditioning/ageing device …

6.6 Measuring Instruments description

6.6.1 Characteristics and calibration date of all instruments used for measuring the values specified
in the standard i.e. … meter

6.7 Results and parameters recorded

6.7.1 The measured, observed or derived results shall be clearly identified at least for:

– independent measured values for each test,

– the average value for each test,

– the required passing criterion for each test defined by the standard,

– the relevant observed or derived results of the tests,

– the above shall be presented by tables, graphs, drawings, photographs or other documentation of
visual observations as appropriate.

6.7.2 A statement of pass/fail identifying the part of the test for which the specimen has failed and
also a description of the failure. This shall be illustrated by drawings, photographs or other
documentation of visual observations as appropriate.
blank
BS EN
50164-7:2008
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