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This spire only had a single copper downtape, so it needed a second tape, plus a circumferential band (to link the two tapes) to meet the current standards..
The new tape and the circumferential band are 25mm x 3mm copper, all clips are gunmetal, and all clips are drilled directly into the stone so that they are secure permanently. If you drill the joints, you’ll get clips coming out over the years.
This company has not fitted any aluminium tapes, or used plastic tape clips, for many years. It’s rubbish and only fit for retail parks, new build office blocks, etc. It’s an insult to a building like a church. Plastic clips break (a lot), and aluminium corrodes at the joints where it’s not concealed by the pvc covering.
The new tape, and the old tape, at the spire head.
The old tape is directly bonded to the finial below that copper cap-piece, but I have added a second link over to it to ensure a good connection.
New tape dropping away down the spire.
Looking up at the upper section of the tape.
Circumferential band. Note the attractive golden clips (expensive). That’s what they call gunmetal. The important thing is that they are very strong and they will never ever corrode.
Junction between the vertical tape and the circumferential band. In view are the gunmetal tape clips, a gunmetal junction clamp, and a gunmetal square clamp.
Same area.
Fitting lightning conductors requires, normally, two buckets full to the brim with clips and power tools.
Four earth rods ready to be driven into the ground. These are linked with threaded couplers so that what goes into the ground is a very long single rod.
Concrete earth pit ready to go into the ground once the rods have been driven.
Note the coupler and the black cap on top of it. That black cap is there to take the hammer blows. Once the rod is right down to soil level you remove the cap, screw on the next rod, fit the driver cap onto the top of that next rod, and continue hammering.
Ready to drive another rod.
All rods driven, earth pit in place, tape in place, and the tape is clipped firmly to the earth rod.
Mortared in.
Earthing completed.
That metal strap that covers the bottom section of the tape is called a vandal guard. It’s there to stop people trying to pull the tape off the wall to take it to the scrapman, and the surprising thing is that they generally do deter this. I suppose the people that think it’s worth stealing 10 feet of copper don’t have any tools or much in the way of brains.
Looking up once the ladders were stripped.
