ADB Safegate FLA, User Manual

2.0 Airfield Lighting Field Lightning Arrestor

Airfield Lighting Field Lightning Arrestor (FLA) is designed to help reduce the susceptibility of airfield series circuits to

lightning strikes or surges. The FLA is designed to be installed at 600m (2000 ft) intervals in the 5KV airfield primary series

circuit but can be installed at closer intervals as desired. Each FLA adds additional local protection against damage from

lightning strikes reducing the risk of widespread damage in the field and to equipment in the electrical vault.

2.1 Field Lightning Arrestor

Compliance with Standards

FAA:

Complies with AC 150/5345-10, Section 3.4.12 (Lightning/Surge Arrestors)

Overview

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For use on airfield series circuits to further reduce the risk of lightning damage on the series circuit

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Can be inserted at various points in the 5 kV airfield primary series circuit to provide additional lightning protection.

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Can be used on any airfield circuit (6.6 A from 4 kW to 30 kW and 20 A from 15 kW to 70 kW)

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Rated for 25,000 A peak (8/20 microsecond discharge)

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Assembly rated NEMA 6P

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Insulation resistance is 10 GΩ (minimum)

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Includes a UL 467 rated ground lug, which accepts an AWG 4 to AWG 14 earth ground wire

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Operating temperature: -55 °C to +55 °C (-67 °F to +131 °F)

Installation

It is recommended that the field lighting arrestor be installed a maximum of about every 2,000 feet around the series circuit,

starting at the first base can closest to the vault on each leg of the series circuit. Simply disconnect (unplug) the L-823

connectors at the designated point and plug in the field lighting arrestor. Connect a known good earth ground (25 Ω or less)

to the earth ground lug of the field lighting arrestor using at least an AWG 6 wire.
The field lightning arrestor can be installed in a base can (preferred) or direct earth buried. Heat shrink each L-823 connector

interface using an airport approved method. The field lighting arrestor body is waterproof (rated NEMA 6P) and is fully

resistant to deicing fluids.

Ordering Code 

44A6102

Maintenance

There are no internal repairable parts since the field lighting arrestor is completely sealed. If the field lighting arrestor fails,

replace it with a new one. Note that the heat sink on a field lighting arrestor is colored red in order to differentiate it from the

ADB Safegate BRITE Remote. An ADB Safegate BRITE Remote has a silver colored heat sink.

Troubleshooting

The field lighting arrestor contains Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV) components similar to the type used on the output of

Constant Current Regulators. A degraded or failed field lightning arrestor is typically evidenced by a rapid drop in the overall

series circuit insulation resistance. Troubleshoot using same techniques used to find failed isolation transformers.
One or more shorted field lighting arrestors may cause a section of lights to be dim or out. If it is suspected that the field

lighting arrestor has internally shorted, measure between the male L-823 and the arrestor earth ground lug using an

ohmmeter. The meter should read a very high resistance. A failed unit will read a very low resistance or zero ohms.

96A0489, Rev. B, 2018/03/06

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