IEC 62561 is the series of standards for lightning protection system components - the rods, conductors, connectors, earth electrodes and the conductive backfill compound. When a product says IEC certified, it should mean the component has been tested to the relevant part of IEC 62561 with a test report to prove it, not just a claim on the box.
The parts of the series
| Standard | Covers |
|---|---|
| IEC 62561-1 | Connection components |
| IEC 62561-2 | Conductors and earth electrodes |
| IEC 62561-7 | Earth-enhancing (conductive backfill) compounds |
| IS/IEC 62305 | The lightning protection system as a whole |
What to ask for
Ask which part of IEC 62561 the product is tested to, and for the test report. For a chemical earthing electrode, the backfill should meet IEC 62561-7 and the earthing should meet IS 3043. An independent fault-current test (CPRI) backs the claim.
