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EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 50164-3
NORME EUROPÉENNE
August 2006
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 91.120.40
English version
Lightning Protection Components (LPC)
Part 3: Requirements for isolating spark gaps

Composants de protection  Blitzschutzbauteile -
contre la foudre (CPF) Teil 3: Anforderungen
Partie 3: Prescriptions pour les éclateurs an Trennfunkenstrecken
d'isolement
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2006-03-01. 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, 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

© 2006 CENELEC - All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC members.
Ref. No. EN 50164-3:2006 E
Foreword
This European Standard was prepared by the Technical Committee CENELEC TC 81X, Lightning
protection.
The text of the draft was submitted to the formal vote and was approved by CENELEC as EN 50164-3
on 2006-03-01.
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) 2007-03-01
– latest date by which the national standards conflicting
with the EN have to be withdrawn (dow) 2009-03-01
__________
- 3 - EN 50164-3:2006
Contents
1 Scope. 4
2 Normative references . 4
3 Definitions . 4
4 Classification . 6
5 Requirements. 6
5.1 General. 6
5.2 Environmental requirements. 6
5.3 Installation instructions. 6
5.4 Lightning current carrying capability. 6
5.5 Rated impulse spark over voltage. 6
5.6 Rated withstand voltage. 7
5.7 Isolation resistance. 7
5.8 Marking. 7
5.9 UV resistance. 7
6 Tests . 7
6.1 General. 7
6.2 Electrical test . 8
6.3 Marking test. 9

7 Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) . 9
Annex A (normative) Conditioning of ISG's.10
Annex B (normative) Flow chart of tests.11
Table 1 – Lightning impulse current [I ] parameters . 9
imp
1 Scope
This European Standard specifies the requirements and tests for isolating spark gaps (ISG) for
lightning protection systems.
ISG's can be used to indirectly bond a lightning protection system to other nearby metalwork where a
direct bond is not permissible for functional reasons.
Typical applications include the connection to
- earth termination systems of power installations,
- earth termination systems of telecommunication systems,
- auxiliary earth electrodes of voltage operated earth fault circuit breakers,
- rail earth electrode of AC and DC railways,
- measuring earth electrodes for laboratories,
- installations with cathodic protection and stray current systems,
- service entry masts for low- voltage overhead cables,
- bypassing insulated flanges and insulated couplings of pipelines.
NOTE  ISG’s may also be suitable for use in hazardous conditions such as fire and explosive atmosphere. Due regard should
be taken of the extra requirements necessary for the components to be installed in such conditions.
This does not cover applications where follow currents occur.
Protective devices according to EN 50122-1 and EN 50123-5 are not part 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 60068-2-52 1996 Environmental testing - Part 2: Tests - Test Kb: Salt mist, cyclic
(sodium chloride solution) (IEC 60068-2-52:1996)

EN 60529 1991 Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)
(IEC 60529:1989)
EN ISO 6988 1994 Metallic and other non-organic coatings - Sulfur dioxide test with
general condensation of moisture (ISO 6988:1985)

ISO 6957 1988 Copper alloys - Ammonia test for stress corrosion resistance

3 Definitions
For the purpose of this standard, the following definitions apply:
3.1
Isolating Spark Gap (ISG)
component with discharge distance for isolating electrically conductive installation sections
NOTE  In the event of a lightning strike, the installation sections are temporarily connected conductively as the result of
response of the discharge.
- 5 - EN 50164-3:2006
3.2
electrodes
those parts where sparkover occurs
3.3
sparkover voltage
maximum voltage value before disruptive discharge between the electrodes of the ISG
3.4
withstand voltage
value of a voltage that the ISG can withstand during tests made under specified conditions and for a
specified time
3.4.1
power frequency withstand voltage
r.m.s value of a sinusoidal power frequency voltage that the ISG can withstand during tests made
under specified conditions and for a specified time
3.4.2
DC withstand voltage
value of a DC voltage that the ISG can withstand during tests made under specified conditions and for
a specified time
3.5
rated withstand voltage
value of a withstand voltage declared by the manufacturer to characterise the isolating behaviour of an
ISG
3.5.1
rated power frequency withstand voltage
value of a power frequency withstand voltage declared by the manufacturer to characterise the
isolating behaviour of an ISG
3.5.2
rated DC withstand voltage
value of a DC withstand voltage declared by the manufacturer to characterise the isolating behaviour
of an ISG
3.6
impulse sparkover voltage
the impulse voltage of the waveshape 1,2/50 to classify the sparkover behaviour of the ISG
3.7
rated impulse sparkover voltage
manufacturers declaration of the ISG sparkover voltage
3.8
isolating resistance
ohmic resistance of the ISG between the active parts
3.9
lightning impulse current [I ]
imp
an impulse current that classifies an ISG. Five parameters are to be considered; the peak value, the
charge, the duration, the specific energy and the rate of rise of the impulse current

4 Classification
According to its capability to withstand lightning current, as per Table 1:
- class H for heavy duty;
- class N for normal duty;
- class 1L for light duty;
- class 2L for light duty;
- class 3L for light duty.
5 Requirements
5.1 General
ISG’s shall be designed in such a manner that when they are installed in accordance with the
manufacturer’s instructions its performance shall be reliable, stable and safe to persons and
surrounding equipment.
5.2 Environmental requirements
ISG shall be designed in such way that they operate satisfactorily under the environmental conditions
given by the normal service conditions. Outdoors ISG’s shall be contained in a weather shield of glass
glazed ceramic or other
...