You can use wires, strips, tubes, or stranded conductors as down conductors. All shapes work fine when interconnected with suitable connectors.
The preferred down conductor materials are:
- Aluminum is the preferred choice for meteorological sites due to its low weight, galvanic compatibility with steel and aluminum masts, and low cost.
- Copper is a good choice for very corrosive environments.
Make sure that stranded conductors have a minimum strand diameter to protect them from corrosion and ensure mechanical strength. For standard dimensions, see Table 1.