Do I Really Need Lightning Protection If My Electronics Already Have Protection?
What “Internal Protection” in Electronics Actually Means
Most modern electronic equipment includes internal surge protection. This protection is designed to manage small, everyday electrical disturbances, such as minor voltage fluctuations or switching transients.
However, internal protection is not designed to absorb or safely redirect the energy associated with lightning activity — even when the strike is nearby rather than direct.
Lightning-related surges are:
extremely fast
very high energy
capable of entering systems through multiple paths
Internal protection alone is simply not enough to deal with this level of stress.
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Photo credit: https://www.facebook.com/share/19xsBNBRxF/
Lightning Doesn’t Need to Strike Your Building Directly
One of the biggest misconceptions is that damage only occurs with a direct lightning strike.
In reality, lightning can cause damage through:
induced voltages from nearby strikes
surges entering via power lines
solar PV cabling acting as an antenna
communication and monitoring cables
When this energy enters a system without a properly designed earthing and lightning protection path, it looks for the shortest route to ground — often through sensitive electronics.
The Role of Proper Lightning and Earthing Protection
External lightning protection and earthing systems are designed to do one critical job:
Safely divert lightning energy away from equipment before it reaches sensitive components.
This is achieved by:
providing a low-resistance path to earth
equalising voltage differences across the system
coordinating surge protection devices with earthing design
Internal electronic protection then acts as a final layer, not the first and only defence.
Why Solar and Modern Installations Are More Vulnerable
Solar PV systems and modern electrical installations are particularly exposed because they:
- span large physical areas
- use long DC and AC cable runs
- connect multiple electronic components
- interface with external infrastructure
- Without correct earthing and lightning protection design, repeated storm exposure can result in:
- inverter and controller failures
- unexplained or intermittent faults
- reduced equipment lifespan
- costly downtime and repairs
Why “On-Paper Compliance” Is Not Always Enough
Many installations meet minimum compliance requirements but are not designed for real-world lightning conditions.
Factors such as:
soil resistivity
structure type
geographic location
system layout
All affect how well a protection system performs. A generic solution rarely provides reliable long-term protection.
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