[mpcxl]

A typical lightning flash is about 300 million Volts and about 30,000 amps

Copper conductors: 1/2″ diameter braided cable consisting of 32 strands of 17 gauge copper wire. Aluminum conductors: 5/8″ diameter braided cable consisting of 26 strands of 14 gauge aluminum wire.

can someone explain to me how this will hold 30k of current

 

[MikeFL]

It's not a continuous load

 

[mpcxl]

It's not a continuous load

But if we are talking light is instantaneous , meaning 3.0x10^9 m/s (give or take 80% of that from loss due to atmospheric friction),

don’t you think that would burn up fast ?

 

[wcord]

Here's your answer.

https://engineering.stackexchange.com/questions/1785/why-doesnt-a-lightning-strike-destroy-the-lightning-rod

 

[mpcxl]

So basically , the wire only heats up to 60°c and most wire is rated for 90°c

so that’s why it doesn’t burn up

 

[kb1jb1]

I thought the purpose of lightning rods and wire down to the earth was to slowly bleed electrons from the ground to the atmosphere. If the electrons are bled from a small pattern or pathway it will limit the pathway for vast potential difference in the static to discharge. A big massive steel structure allows for a much larger pathway for the electrons to bleed and then the static charge has a bigger pathway to discharge. To reduce the large pathway they install rods spaced a certain distance apart so now you have a bunch of little electron pathways to the sky.

 

[MikeFL]

What size conductor does POCO use to carry 30kA?

 

[LGLS]

What size conductor does POCO use to carry 30kA?

Entirely dependent on the voltage

 

[SWDweller]

grew up in Iowa on top of a hill, two story home and we replaced the finials, and ground rods several time before I left for college. Sometimes the strike was only enough to blacken the down leads so the house needed some paint.

Try reading UL96A

 

[MikeFL]

Entirely dependent on the voltage

Cross section of a conductor is a function of current.

Insulation or distance to an uninsulated live part of opposite polarity is a function of voltage.