What precautions should be taken when installing LED screens in areas with frequent thunderstorms?

소개

In areas with frequent thunderstorms, the installation and maintenance of LED 스크린 present numerous challenges.

Do you know how to ensure safe and stable operation of your LED screens in inclement weather?

Note 1: Understand the intensity and frequency of local thunderstorms

Understanding the intensity and frequency of local thunderstorms is essential. First, understand whether the area is prone to thunderstorms.

This will help you understand how to prevent them later. For example, check the average number of thunderstorm days per year.

If thunder occurs dozens of days a year, more robust measures should be taken.

Also, consider the season and time of year when thunderstorms are most concentrated. Are they a must-see in the summer afternoons, or do they strike suddenly at night?

These factors will influence when to shut down your equipment and when to conduct focused inspections.

Don’t just focus on the “citywide average”; it’s a limited reference. The surrounding environment at your specific project site may be completely different.

For example, if you’re building in a low-lying area, be aware of the potential impact of accumulated water on grounding.

Equipment installed on mountaintops or open plains is much more likely to be struck by lightning.

In coastal areas, strong winds and humid air can lead to rapid corrosion of metal components, significantly increasing your maintenance costs.

Another often-overlooked tip: Don’t be afraid to contact the local meteorological department. They have detailed lightning distribution maps, historical records, and even short-term warning information.

Knowing this in advance will save you a lot of trouble compared to waiting until the equipment is struck by lightning to remedy the situation.

A simple approach is to avoid periods with frequent thunderstorms and complete critical processes before the thunderstorm season.

Adding early warnings lets maintenance personnel know when to leave work early, which will also ensure greater equipment safety.

Note 2: Lightning protection must be fully implemented

Lightning protection requires more than just a “pin on top” approach; the entire chain must be securely constructed.

For example, if a large screen at the entrance of a 쇼핑몰 is high and prominent enough, a lightning rod should be installed on top to prevent lightning from taking a shortcut through it and striking the screen directly.

Simply installing the pins isn’t enough; grounding is also crucial. For example, in some areas of Beijing prone to thunderstorms, the grounding resistance must not exceed 4Ω.

Otherwise, lightning won’t be able to safely dissipate, potentially damaging the screen.

In addition to the screen itself, signal and power cables are also favourite channels for lightning to sneak in.

For example, during a thunderstorm in Guangzhou, a lightning strike struck a distant power grid, and the surge travelled along the power lines into the rooftop LED screen, directly burning out several modules.

To prevent this, lightning arresters must be installed on both the power and signal cables, acting like a “safety gate” for the lines.

A more reliable approach is to implement a three-level lightning protection system: external lightning rods and grounding on the screen, lightning protection devices in the distribution box, and an additional level of protection in the central control box.

These three levels of protection ensure that even if lightning strikes fiercely outside, only a tiny amount of current will ultimately reach the screen.

This minimises the risk of lightning strikes, whether on a high-rise rooftop advertising screen or an outdoor plaza display.

Note 3: Don't rely solely on the "IP rating" for waterproofing

Many people, when choosing an outdoor LED screen, immediately feel reassured when they see “IP65,” thinking, “A little rain won’t be a problem.” This is a complete mistake.

The IP rating only indicates the screen’s inherent water protection, such as protection against spray and raindrops.

However, heavy rain, wind-driven rain, and even splashing muddy water cannot be protected by a single number. The real impact lies in the screen’s structural design and installation details.

First, consider the gaps in the cabinet. If the joints are not tightly sealed, rainwater can easily flow through the gaps into the internal circuitry.

The back panel also needs to be tightly sealed, and waterproof tape or sealing rings should ideally be installed around key internal components.

Also, the drainage holes must be designed appropriately to allow water to flow out, rather than pooling inside the cabinet. Long-term moisture can cause circuit degradation and dampness in the modules.

The installation orientation and screen angle are also important. For example, if an LED advertising screen outside a shopping mall faces a southerly downpour, rainwater can easily accumulate.

Properly designing a slight tilt angle to allow rainwater to flow naturally can prevent water from stagnating and leaking.

Some outdoor LED screens even have small drainage grooves at the bottom to further prevent water from stagnating.

In general, waterproofing isn’t just about the IP rating; it’s the result of a comprehensive set of structural design, mounting angles, and drainage solutions.

Ignoring any of these factors can lead to a surge in the risk of water seeping into screen corners, wiring shorts.

Or module moisture during a downpour, leading to exorbitant repair costs. Only by ensuring these measures can LED screens withstand the elements in thunderstorm-prone environments.

Note 4: The power system must be lightning-resistant and voltage-stable

In areas prone to thunderstorms, the power system for LED screens must not only be lightning-resistant but also provide reliable power.

Imagine a lightning strike, with a surge rushing through the power lines into the device. Combined with occasional grid outages or voltage fluctuations, the screen could suddenly flicker, reboot.

Or even burn out the modules. Lightning protection alone isn’t enough; voltage stabilisation is also essential.

In areas with high lightning intensity, many projects equip LED screens with a voltage stabilizer or UPS.

This not only handles voltage fluctuations and ensures safe screen operation, but also maintains continuous content during brief power outages, preventing ads from flickering or disconnections.

Don’t just pick your power cord; it must be thick and weather-resistant. When routing, avoid high-voltage lines and areas prone to water accumulation. Make sure bends are natural and avoid distorting the wiring.

In the distribution box, install overload protection and a residual current circuit breaker (RCD), and if possible, a surge protector.

This way, no matter how severe the thunderstorm, the screen will be less susceptible to damage and operate more reliably.

In short, a dual approach of “lightning protection and voltage stabilisation” is crucial to ensuring LED screens remain stable and operational during thunderstorms.

Note 5: Avoid "high-risk" installation locations

A well-chosen installation location can reduce the risk of lightning strikes and minimise problems for LED screens.

Many people, seeing a spacious and conspicuous space, move directly to rooftops or open, high-rise buildings. However, they don’t realise that these locations are precisely lightning’s favourite targets.

High, exposed rooftops are prone to strong winds and heavy rain. Thunderstorms not only make it more likely for direct strikes.

But also carry rainwater that blows into the screen’s cracks, making subsequent maintenance difficult and dangerous.

Similarly, avoid placing screens too close to lightning rods or metal towers. Metal attracts lightning, and being too close effectively invites it along, creating a much greater risk than imagined.

When choosing an installation location, consider one that’s both relatively safe and easily accessible—one that facilitates quick power-off, inspection, and routine maintenance.

For example, choosing a location near a floor corridor or a sheltered side wall minimises direct impact even during a thunderstorm and makes it safer for maintenance personnel to access the screen.

Simply put, choosing a location that’s “away from lightning, at a moderate height, and easily accessible” ensures greater peace of mind for both the screen and maintenance personnel.

Note 6: The control system must be resilient to lightning strikes

In areas prone to frequent thunderstorms, the control system of an LED screen must also be robust. Simply put, it must be able to withstand lightning strikes and not easily fail.

Many problems aren’t caused by the screen itself being struck, but by surges damaging the control and receiving cards, causing the entire screen to fail.

When selecting equipment, consider whether the control and receiving cards have ESD (electrostatic discharge) or surge protection capabilities. This provides a buffer for critical circuits during sudden power surges.

The wiring inside the control box also requires careful attention, keeping it as far away from high-voltage components as possible to prevent lightning from inducing ingress through nearby metal or high-voltage lines.

Furthermore, the network transmission system should ideally be optically isolated. This way, even if voltage anomalies occur, they won’t directly impact the control system along the network cables, causing the entire screen to go offline.

For example, a large outdoor LED screen at a shopping mall flickered frequently during thunderstorms because the wiring inside the control box was close to the power lines.

During a thunderstorm, the surge travelled along the lines and directly burned several receiving cards.

After adding a surge protector, rewiring, and implementing optoelectronic isolation, the system only briefly tripped during subsequent lightning strikes, and the screen quickly recovered automatically.

In short, the lightning resilience of a control system ensures that it remains stable and undamaged during a thunderstorm, and that it can quickly recover. This ensures that the entire LED screen remains lit stably.

7. 결론

With the above six considerations, I believe you have a more comprehensive understanding of installing LED screens in thunderstorm-prone areas.

Remember, prevention is always better than a cure. Only by meticulous installation and maintenance can you ensure the safety of your LED screen during thunderstorms.

Finally, for more information about LED screens, 우리에게 연락해주세요.