Tie Knots on your low voltage wire!

• The picture above is only an example of tying knots in your low voltage wires:

Many technicians never tie knots in their wires and they ought too.  Most young techs today have never heard of this, and that is why they do not add knots in the wires.  Lightning cannot handle 90 degrees angle in any kind of metallic pathway. More times than not if there is no way that the potential of lightning can find a bi-pass, the wire will explode.  That said, surge suppression can be that potential that creates that bi-pass. I do not advocate products from ADI easy to install or cheap surge suppression.  However, if you are that kind of company that chooses not to use surge suppression than every tech should adopt this practice of tying knots in the wires.  Here are the reasons why.

1. In the early days, when there were no surge suppression or carbon blocks, telephone technicians used to tie knots in the phone lines.  It was a difference between you staying alive during a thunder storm or actually be struck by lightning while talking or using the device.  Lightning has no clue if you are a living or breathing pathway to earth ground.  Your body is an excellent conductive pathway to earth ground. "One of my old customers back in the early 90's, he was 70 something years old, an old MA Bell phone line Technician told me this.  
2. Technology changes is also a need to practice tying knots in wires. When I started working with electronics I was first exposed to tubes, and no doubt this type of technology was extremely durable. As the evolution of electronics progressed and graduate on to Analog, and then through Digital, the progress showed how electronics was shrinking into smaller packages.  The smaller the package the lower the pf capacitance of the  system.  This terminology is actually correct.  Think of a water tank in reference to tube technology. Bath tub capacity of Analog, a tall jugular glass capacity for Digital, a shot glass capacity for Surface Mount Technology, and a thimble size capacity for Wafer Technology of the future.  Somehow we have to find a way to put the impedance in the pathway, to prevent damage to the technology.  Tying knots in your low voltage wires and your AC power wires is one of many ways to put some of the impedance back into the system without sacrificing performance.
3. Improve the performance of your surge suppression: That's right, surge suppression with knots in the wires improves the performance of the surge protection that protects the electronics. I do however have trouble with parallel surge suppression, usually they are useless. When using in series surge suppression you have more control to deal with EMP force which is redirected to earth ground or known ground.  The three or four knots acts as a high impedance and provides a blocking agent in the wire after the equipment and before the surge suppress.  It is the best and easiest pathway even if it surge suppressor blows out or arcs to earth ground .
4. 
   Stagger the knots, don't bunch them up in one location on the wire, try spreading them out as best as possible.  Example, six foot of wire could equal twelve feet of copper impedance wire with three or four knots spread out in the wire.  
   
   
   
   For every knot = 1 foot of impedance in wire length.                          
5. Tying a knot in your phase, neutral and ground
   
   wire at the appliance power supply is also a good idea. Some might disagree, but I don't think it says anywhere in the NEC code book you cannot do that. UL even teaches you how to tie an appliance knot in the wire. 
6. 
   Tying the UL knot    This is the purpose of correctness.   Only put one knot in the power wire usually a 12 or 14 Gauge stranded. The principle should be the same with the 90 degree angle. In most cases there is two reasons this is a good idea.  Obviously the first reason is that it will improve the performance for the surge suppression in front to work better and faster, or even your UPS system to do a better job.  The second reason, if the low voltage ground wire from the surge suppression DC side of the PC board is connected to the ground of the line-side of the surge suppression there is no chance of a feedback loop up case ground. Case ground issues are a problem for all electronic devices but really bad for fire alarm panels. In this case if a violation to Art. 250.94 of the handbook version NEC code regarding grounding differentials between buildings will help minimize the damage. This method creates an alternative pathway for lightning to bi-pass the system using the surge suppression as the best way out of the system and the impedance pathway as a barrier. This makes the other systems in the other building vulnerable but if this same design was applied there inside of each appliance or panel, this will minimize the damage on both ends. In a way, it is kind of hard to believe that most PE's ignore grounding differential when designing multiple apartment buildings. It' like they have blinders on.  Bonding all the buildings together eliminates grounding differentials. 
   
   I have added an application drawing to help those that might be a bit confused. This drawing does not show knots but rather shows where the surge suppression low voltage might ground which will help prevent a feedback loop up case ground. The Spike Block is a ground filter and prevents noise and lightning from coming in on the AC life safety ground wire or take out your ground fault circuit.
7. It is obvious to me that your low voltage surge suppression can play a critical role.  There are very few surge suppression that can handle a IEEE Cat. B3, C1 6000 Volts @ 3000 amps impulse.  The common ones you are using now, only comply to UL requirement of 1000V at 10 amps for UL listing. According to NEC code, the handbook version Art. 250.94, mathematically speaking, 10,000 volts conservative on low voltage wire is possible.  When we say conservative, it could be much higher.  I recommend Lectroshield, it is a better mouse trap and if any one might remember the old E/Clips technology before they went out of business here in Florida, it is about as close you are going to get including the new UL 1449 3rd edition, it is much better.  The AC protector prevents reverse polarity and also the low voltage protectors filters noise on loop lines under UL 497.  Anytime you do something like that, it is a true in series protector.
8. Kidde Fenwal has identified only this group of technology that can actually do that under their independent testing of 10,000 volts.   It wasn't one single product that could do this either, rather a system of  surge suppression technology and ground filters applied to their system for the ability to accomplish this feat.  For one purpose only, they needed this for the Rain Forest area of South American.  Their lightning issues are far worse than the Lightning Capital of North America (Florida).  However an e-mail went out to all of Kidde Fenwal dealers nation wide, and only a few used the technology. However slowly but surely as issues pop up, they come a calling. 
9. I have been leaning heavily on fire alarms, but there is no reason at all that CCTV cannot use this same concept on their low voltage power, gate access can use this in all the low voltage and AC applications too.  This idea is not new, but it is new for the youngsters in the business.

So tying knots in all life safety systems, phone systems, PLC,s and control equipment is the only way to improve what some people might refer to as lightning is an impossible thing to prevent destruction.  It is an important part of every job a technician should tie knots in wires. In my opinion: It is like a signature of good workmanship.  Failure to do so, could cost the end user a lot of money. However the bigger company the less likely they are inclined to use this simple concept that does not cost anything accept a little time.

If you are the end user, do a simple quality control inspection of your current systems and if this concept is not deployed, have your service provider come out and correct it according to your specifications.  I also suggest that surge suppression should be installed also, and while your at it, go for the good stuff.

www.storminprotection.com

www.firealarmprotection.com

www.gateaccessprotection.com

Update:  Surprisingly enough I have well over 5700 readers, thumbs up, comments, shares, phone calls, e-mails and more to come.  Many were very passionate about tying knots in low voltage wires. Some told me that I needed someone to edit my work ( really cannot argue about that however it is just me). Some have told me I must be joking.  I was also reminded that in some states inspectors and requirements are quit anal.  Some talk about wire restrictions that manufactures suggest. Some Power Quality Engineers have very interesting and positive sayings. "John Like it or Knot, U R Correct !!!" (Duncan).   But seriously for the last four months and 5700+ readers, I don't think I have ever wrote something that took so much notice. So here is a surprise for you...this article has achieved it's intended goal, far more than most articles and far more than my expectations---what a surprise to me!     Just for the record the handyman knot was taken from UL as an approved knot.  However it's intended use, is for something like a lamp cord so you cannot pull it out from the bottom.  So we will have one of these handy man knots inside the fire alarm panel so the electrician cannot accidentally pull it out.  Like any accident, some good comes out of it.   

I find that majority of the dealers, technicians and installers tend to agree with me. I find that the more intellectual ones like some of the Engineers have a little trouble with the way I have worded it, granted in many cases they are correct and yes I did a little editing to correct some of it.  But over all, the message is clear, what it used to be back in the old days is not the same today when it comes to the sensitivity of life safety systems.  If I can provide a simple and economical advice to help harden the circuit from the potential of lightning strikes, I have completed my mission with 30 years of research.  So in the Spirit of correctness....send me an e-mail jpecore@earthlink.net and I will review the suggestions and tile myself accordingly.  This post is worthy of any suggestions...because the heat it is generating is awesome.   

Here is one that some one commented but I could not reply because AFAA has this thing about me that they think I am selling something......Only what is between my ears.  Anyway here is his comment.

 Chuck Jones Hey John Pecore, a good friend of mine just had lightning strike a tree in his back yard. Evidently cypress, being full of water creates a magnificent explosion and sends shrapnel as much as 100 feet away! Well my friend has invested a lot of money in his home stereo system... the strike evidently arced over to his house and blew one of his Audio Research amps ($2.5k) and possibly other stereo periphery... the funny thing is him and I had a conversation concerning your first post of tying knots for low-voltage and he was considering doing that for his B&W speakers and also his amplifiers.... considering is an ugly word with hindsight glasses! Thanks again for your posts!

This is my response: 

I tried to write you but AFAA feels that anything I do, is marketing. They are right and wrong. I am a trouble shooting and that is how I earn my living, so my advice here is look at the source of the problem. If the trees get hit by lightning, I would install lightning dissipators on the trees. What are they you might ask?

They look like Fuller brushes upside down on stainless steel rods mounted on bronze pedestals, installed in the trees with a # 6 Stranded copper ground wires to a ground rod at the base of the tree. As the potential builds up, the dissipaters bleed low levels of voltage in the air. When the clouds approach, there is nothing left in the tree to attract it. More trees, do this plan over an over again until you got them all. You might even tie all the ground rods together to create a single point ground but do not attach it to the building. As for tying knots...go for it and also do the surge suppression. You can copy this, and add it to the tie knots thing. At least it will get published and someone who monitors my stuff will realize, I am highly educational. I can never publish anything on any forum.....because someone thinks I am selling something. Yes I am...what is between my ears! Obviously this is not tying knots, but answering a need.

Chuck Jones reply:

Yeah John I noticed they took my comment out too. I get what they're saying about you posting your products on there but you're doing it out of the education of how these devices actually work which is not necessarily advertising your products but is advertising the technology... this world is becoming sooooo sensitive!

My response, don't worry Chuck, they will get the Updated Post even if they don't like it, they cannot stop your comment because I put it in my post. They all will see this and get your message! I think it is funny, when the s@#t hits the fan, who do they call or refer?  They treated me the same way on yahoo.  Would you believe I have to tell people how to solve their problem in private.  I cannot tell you how many techs in this country really need my help. If it wasn't for Linked-in, I don't think 5700+ people would have read this thing about knots....What the h#@l am I selling here?

Got another comment:

Mike Agri John,I can't believe that grounding grids are still NOT an NEC requirement for any multiple building complex that shares any systems, electrical or electronic. It's a serious enough issue to require retro-fits, IMHO.

My answer: Art. 250.94 of the NEC code book and most PE's and General contractors ignore it.  Too costly to do it right or they have no clue. I would say they have no clue would be more correct.

Good information, but not posted in the comments:

"You are "knot" wrong :-) ( love puns) ...as far as it goes. But depending on the type and position of a knot you can experience other energy conditions and effects far different that what you propose, especially with the "over peak" instantaneous load conditions. So you are not wrong....but neither are you right. There is nothing we do....that does not have ...ripple effects..some good...and some not..many never realized until time has passed...into the world. Often, the more centrally focused one becomes....the less they see." Ernie

My Answer:

Interesting comment. My narrow vision is focused on the effects of lightning in conjunction with surge suppression.

You are absolutely right, you can actually tune in radio stations, change the effects of LC, create a RF wave, radiate energy, create a hum on a wire, choke out the operation of a device and so much more depending on the technology it is introduced. That is why, chokes are made and introduced to Piezo Technology. I am well aware of all these other things....how ever, in the life safety industry, there are measured anticipation of inductance in the wire by the manufacture so the tolerances are more forgiving.

As for all life safety systems this is the rule accept for CAT 5/6 and coax. So the market, I focus this on is the voice, audio, and open and closed loop industry with a much forgiving tolerance based on impedance.

This is good stuff

AM/FM Broadcasting  07/21/2016

Subject: Re: [BC] Old technology to save equipment (or your life)

Milton R. Holladay Jr.; 

I've been using and recommending  this for at least four decades.

This is also a cure for your FM station being heard in a neighbor's stereo (4 or 5 turn knot in the speaker wires will usually fix it) or FM in your mic inputs (4 or 5 turns of the cord, 4 or 5 inch diameter coil, tie-wrapped or self  wrapped)...........