Flat Tape

NFC 17-102 IEC 62305 EN 50164 CE Certified Flat Tape

Earthing & Bonding

TAPE CONDUCTORS

Flat tape conductors for lightning protection down conductors and earthing systems. Per IEC 62305-3, flat tape conductors are preferred over round wire for down conductor applications — their larger surface area reduces inductance and improves current distribution. Available in solid copper, tinned copper, PVC covered copper, flexible copper, aluminium, PVC aluminium, galvanized steel and stainless steel.

Tape Types

6 Types

Cu, Al, SS, GS variants

Materials

Cu · Al · SS

Copper, aluminium, steel

Variants

60+

Reference codes available

Standard

IEC 62305

NFC 17-102 · EN 50164

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Manufacturer direct — no intermediaries. Ships from Izmir, Turkey worldwide.

Flat tape conductors are the preferred conductor form for lightning protection down conductors per IEC 62305-3. Their flat profile provides a larger surface area for the same cross-sectional mass compared to round wire — this reduces the inductance of the down conductor path, which is critical for minimising the voltage rise on the conductor during a lightning current event. ORBITAL offers tape conductors in six material types to cover all installation environments and budget requirements.

Solid copper tape is the standard specification for most installations. Tinned copper tape is preferred in humid or marine environments for improved corrosion resistance. PVC covered variants provide electrical isolation from metallic structural elements. Aluminium tapes offer a lightweight option. Galvanized and stainless steel tapes are specified where copper is prohibited or incompatible with adjacent materials.

Solid Copper Tape Conductors

Standard — IEC 62305 preferred

Reference	Dimensions (mm)	Material	Weight/m (kg)
OLT-006D	12.50 × 1000 × 1.50	Copper	0.20
OLT-007D	12.50 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.30
OLT-008D	20 × 1000 × 1.50	Copper	0.25
OLT-009D	20 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.32
OLT-010D	25 × 1000 × 1.50	Copper	0.35
OLT-011D	25 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.70
OLT-012D	25 × 1000 × 4	Copper	0.90
OLT-013D	25 × 1000 × 6	Copper	1.35
OLT-014D	30 × 1000 × 2	Copper	0.50
OLT-015D	30 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.80
OLT-016D	30 × 1000 × 4	Copper	1.10
OLT-017D	30 × 1000 × 5	Copper	1.40
OLT-018D	38 × 1000 × 3	Copper	1.00
OLT-019D	38 × 1000 × 5	Copper	1.70
OLT-020D	38 × 1000 × 6	Copper	1.80
OLT-021D	40 × 1000 × 3	Copper	1.10
OLT-022D	40 × 1000 × 4	Copper	1.40
OLT-023D	40 × 1000 × 5	Copper	1.80
OLT-024D	40 × 1000 × 6	Copper	2.20
OLT-025D	50 × 1000 × 3	Copper	1.40
OLT-026D	50 × 1000 × 4	Copper	1.80
OLT-027D	50 × 1000 × 5	Copper	2.20
OLT-028D	50 × 1000 × 6	Copper	2.75

Tinned Copper Tape Conductors

Marine & humid environments

Reference	Dimensions (mm)	Material	Weight/m (kg)
OLT-000D	12.50 × 1000 × 1.50	Copper	0.20
OLT-002D	25 × 1000 × 6	Copper	1.30
OLT-003D	31 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.80
OLT-004D	38 × 1000 × 5	Copper	1.70
OLT-005D	50 × 1000 × 6	Copper	2.70
OLT-052D	30 × 1000 × 2.50	Copper	0.50
OLT-055D	25 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.70

PVC Covered Copper Tape Conductors

Insulated — isolated routing

Reference	Dimensions (mm)	Material	Weight/m (kg)
OLT-029D	12.50 × 1000 × 1.50	Copper	0.20
OLT-030D	25 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.70
OLT-031D	25 × 1000 × 6	Copper	1.50
OLT-032D	50 × 1000 × 6	Copper	3.00
OLT-139D	25 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.70
OLT-140D	25 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.70
OLT-141D	25 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.70
OLT-142D	25 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.70
OLT-143D	25 × 1000 × 3	Copper	0.70

Flexible Copper Conductors

Flexible — tight radius routing

Reference	Dimensions (mm)	Material	Weight/m (kg)
OLT-043D	12 × 1000 × 1	Copper	0.05
OLT-044D	15 × 1000 × 1.50	Copper	0.10
OLT-045D	10 × 1000 × 2	Copper	0.10
OLT-046D	16 × 1000 × 2	Copper	0.13
OLT-047D	19 × 1000 × 2.50	Copper	0.16
OLT-048D	25 × 1000 × 3.50	Copper	0.35
OLT-049D	25 × 1000 × 3.50	Copper	0.35
OLT-051D	32 × 1000 × 6	Copper	0.65
OLT-053D	30 × 1000 × 3.50	Copper	0.40

Solid Aluminium Tape Conductors

Lightweight — aluminium

Reference	Dimensions (mm)	Material	Weight/m (kg)
OLT-033D	12.50 × 1000 × 1.50	Aluminium	0.05
OLT-034D	20 × 1000 × 3	Aluminium	0.18
OLT-037D	25 × 1000 × 6	Aluminium	0.41
OLT-038D	40 × 1000 × 6	Aluminium	0.69
OLT-039D	50 × 1000 × 6	Aluminium	0.85
OLT-056D	30 × 1000 × 3	Aluminium	0.27
OLT-057D	25 × 1000 × 3	Aluminium	0.22

PVC Covered Aluminium Tape Conductors

Insulated aluminium

Reference	Dimensions (mm)	Material	Weight/m (kg)
OLT-040D	12.50 × 1000 × 1.50	Aluminium	0.10
OLT-041D	20 × 1000 × 3	Aluminium	0.25
OLT-042D	25 × 1000 × 3	Aluminium	0.32
OLT-144D	25 × 1000 × 3	Aluminium	0.32
OLT-145D	25 × 1000 × 3	Aluminium	0.32
OLT-146D	25 × 1000 × 3	Aluminium	0.32

Galvanized Steel Tape Conductors

Economical — standard soils

Reference	Dimensions (mm)	Material	Weight/m (kg)
OLT-130D	20 × 1000 × 2.50	Galvanized Steel	0.40
OLT-131D	30 × 1000 × 3.50	Galvanized Steel	0.80
OLT-132D	30 × 1000 × 4	Galvanized Steel	1.00
OLT-133D	40 × 1000 × 4	Galvanized Steel	1.30
OLT-134D	40 × 1000 × 5	Galvanized Steel	1.60

Stainless Steel Tape Conductors

Marine & aggressive environments

Reference	Dimensions (mm)	Material	Weight/m (kg)
OLT-135D	30 × 1000 × 3.50	Stainless Steel	0.80

Custom dimensions available on request. Weights shown per 1000mm. Contact ORBITAL for project-specific requirements.

Material & Construction
Copper Tape Types	Solid, tinned, PVC covered, flexible
Non-Copper Types	Aluminium (solid & PVC), galvanized steel, stainless steel
IEC 62305 Preference	Flat tape preferred over round wire — lower inductance per unit mass
Performance
Copper Thickness	254µm — exceeds IEC 62561 minimum of 250µm
Min Cross-Section (Cu)	50mm² per IEC 62305-3 for copper down conductors
Tinned Copper	Preferred for marine and humid environments — tin layer prevents oxidation
Compliance & Standards
Primary Standards	NFC 17-102:2011 · IEC 62305-3
Component Standard	EN 50164-2 · IEC 62561
CE Marking	Yes
Applications
Primary Use	Earth termination system for lightning protection systems
Advantage vs Solid Copper	Lower cost, higher mechanical strength — suitable for hard and rocky soils
Soil Suitability	All soil types — use with ORBetter® in high-resistivity soils

Routing and Fixing

Route tape conductors as vertically as possible. Fix to the structure at 1m intervals maximum using copper or stainless steel saddle clips appropriate for the tape width. Tape conductors should be fixed flat against the surface — do not twist or kink the tape as this increases inductance at that point.

Cut End Protection

If a rod must be cut to length, apply a corrosion-resistant compound to the cut end to seal the exposed steel core. The threaded ends are protected by the thread profile itself, but cut ends are vulnerable to accelerated corrosion if left unprotected in aggressive soils.

Earthing Resistance Target

Install a test joint (disconnecting link) at approximately 0.5m above ground level on each down conductor. This allows the earthing resistance of each electrode to be measured independently. Protect the lower 2m of the tape with a mechanical guard tube where exposed at or near ground level.