 Posted:  Wed Apr 14 2010, 03:48am | |
| Posted by: Hawkeye8518 | Posts: 5
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Old Display Name: the hawk
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| Joined: Sun Mar 19 2006, 02:40am
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Im currently looking into getting a lightning arrestor for my antenna ( radio shack dipole on 18ft mast mounted to chimney) , what a good one to get, alpha delt or ice.
and with the lightning arrestors i would need connectors for lmr 400 cable. Also how should it be gorunded. Currently i have an 8ft gorunding rod with 6awg solid copper wire running to the base of the mast. Thanks in advance for the help
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14 2010, 04:31pm | |
| Posted by: w2lie | Posts: 2830
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Old Display Name: w2lie
| Location: Long Island, NY
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Your Admin
 Premium Member | Joined: Fri Nov 04 2005, 03:28am
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I use the Alpha Delta arrestors at my location.
Assuming you have N Connectors on your LMR-400, you may be able to get the arrestors with N fittings. If not, you can always add PL259->N adapters in the line. You would want to place the arrestor close to the ground rod. The goal is to tie the arrestor into your existing ground.
While grounding the mast is good for direct ground, adding the arrestor grounds your coax. When a surge is detected, the "plug" shorts. You'll know you'll have to replace it because your coverage will stink.
Be sure to check the specs on the arrestor to make sure it is broadbanded enough for general scanning coverage.
Another company to try is Polyphaser.
Example of a lightning arrestor setup:
To building <----(coax)---[Arrestor]--(coax)---->ANTENNA |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14 2010, 08:06pm | |
| Posted by: stevewfd | Posts: 62
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Old Display Name: Steve.WPalm Bch
| Location: West Palm Beach FL
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Donating Member: 2009
Premium Member | Joined: Thu May 18 2006, 04:07pm
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As an old LI Electrician I would like to point out several things about lightning protection:
1. With the sandy LI soil do not trust one 8 foot ground rod to do anything more than
be a pain in the neck to install. Most of the ones used by (LILCO) LIPA were up to 20 feet
which today are the same down here in FL that FPL uses.
If you can only get 8 foot ones put in three spaced about 3’ apart. connected together.
2. As per the NEC Code (and best practice) ALL grounds must be BONDED together.
You must connect to you home water system and/or the main electrical ground system
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14 2010, 08:52pm | |
| Posted by: Hawkeye8518 | Posts: 5
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Old Display Name: the hawk
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| Joined: Sun Mar 19 2006, 02:40am
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| thanks for the quick replys. where would i be able to get a lightning arrestor on the island plus connector so i can cut the cable and put the arrester before the cable enters the house. If i tie the ant grounding into the houses grounding would i pick up any additional noise? |
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| Posted: Wed Apr 14 2010, 11:56pm | |
| Posted by: ipfd320 | Posts: 1864
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| Location: Martin County Florida
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Account terminated as requested
| Joined: Sat Mar 31 2007, 02:05am
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| this was a big subject in radio refrence not to long ago on grounding and bonding...as per im a li electrician also i noticed that when i grounded to the water pipe i got more noise from other crap grounded to it....the code also states to ground the equipment to the 1st 5ft of the in comming water pipe from the foundation.....i my self have 1 10 ft copper clad ground rod driven into the earth with 4 gauge solid copper comming from the mast (reduced the noise alot).....remember if lightning does strike the antenna u dont have a prayer in the world for any electronics no matter how heavy u ground and bond.....nec code 810 antenna grounding and bonding might help....good luck to you....also if you are 18 ft of mast good idea to guy it up....if you are using guys link all the guys together and run them also to the ground rod |
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15 2010, 10:21am | |
| Posted by: shkessler | Posts: 246
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Old Display Name: EASTROCKS400
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| Joined: Thu Jul 24 2008, 05:17pm
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| I just built an antenna. It is currently sitting on the side of my house plugged into my ham. I was told by MULTIPLE hams that grounding my antenna, though is required by law, is truly not necessary at my height. There are many power lines and other metal objects way aboive the antenna. I wil just unplug it from the radio when there is a storm. |
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15 2010, 11:53am | |
| Posted by: ipfd320 | Posts: 1864
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| Location: Martin County Florida
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Account terminated as requested
| Joined: Sat Mar 31 2007, 02:05am
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| very smart move kess....... |
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15 2010, 01:56pm | |
| Posted by: w2lie | Posts: 2830
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Old Display Name: w2lie
| Location: Long Island, NY
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Your Admin
Premium Member | Joined: Fri Nov 04 2005, 03:28am
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| Don't worry.. If you do it wrong, the Radio Police won't bother you |
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15 2010, 03:56pm | |
| Posted by: stevewfd | Posts: 62
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Old Display Name: Steve.WPalm Bch
| Location: West Palm Beach FL
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Donating Member: 2009
Premium Member | Joined: Thu May 18 2006, 04:07pm
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A little more info on my post from yesterday
Ground Rod Triad:
A ground rod is an electrode permitted for use as a grounding electrode or as part of a grounding electrode system as described in 250.53(G).
A triad is generally found as a lightning system grounding configuration where the lightning protection system down conductor is connected to three ground rods that are installed in a triangular shape, bonded together and bonded to the building main service grounding electrode system as required by 250.106. See Exhibit 250.47 in the NEC Handbook. Note that a triad arrangment of ground rods is also commonly specified in many designs, which exceed the minimum requirements of the NEC for the main electrical ground. |
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| Posted: Thu Apr 15 2010, 07:00pm | |
| Posted by: shkessler | Posts: 246
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Old Display Name: EASTROCKS400
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| Joined: Thu Jul 24 2008, 05:17pm
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ipfd320 wrote ...
very smart move kess.......
Is this supposed to be sarcasm? |
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