[PaulM9999]

I live about 60 miles west of NY City, and I'm hoping that a top-notch antenna on my roof will bring in the digital channels from the Big Apple.


Should I be worried about lightning strikes? The house is on top of a hill, and my antenna will likely be the highest thing in the immediate area that is metal.


I'd hate to have my new Toshiba 50H81 zapped.


Thanks,

Paul

 

[wjbjr]

Ground the antenna. The installation instructions should show how to do it.


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Bill Brenner


[This message has been edited by wjbjr (edited 08-13-2001).]

 

[Kipp Jones]

As long as you ground to the NEC, you should be ok...you may want to get a surge surpressor too.


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Kipp


IS THAT A REMOTE CONTROL IN YOUR POCKET OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE HDTV?

 

[kealii]

Hi Paul,


Agree with the suggestions above: ground the mast and the coax.


If you get someone to install it for you, make sure/insist that the mast and coax are grounded. Some installers nowadays don't do this anymore unless you specifically ask for it.


Thanks,

Errol


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Keohi HDTV

Your Friendly HDTV Tips Site

 

[Signal]

 http://forums.nfpa.org:8081/necfaq/necsrch.htm (This is the National Electrical Code. Search for "dish")
http://www.mikeholt.com/Newsletters/satellite.htm
http://www.panamax.com/literaturetec...pdf/gndcbl.pdf
http://www.cinergy.com/surge/ttip08.htm
http://www.psihq.com/iread/strpgrnd.htm
http://www.powerclinic.com/tex01.htm
http://www.powerclinic.com/images/te1fig1.gif
http://www.polyphaser.com/ppc_technical.asp
http://www.qsl.net/n1lo/tower.htm

 

[Allen A]

I too worry about lightning strikes to my antenna. I just installed a Radio Shack VU210 on a tripod on the peak of my roof, and ran a heavy gauge ground wire from the tripod to a 8' copper rod which is bonded to my house service ground. Also, the coax is grounded to the same rod before the wiring enters the house. I hope I have done everything right. I have always lived in rural areas and had many antennas over the years without being hit by lightning yet, but I would not want it to happen. I would really like to have everything on a tower separate from the house.

 

[Kipp Jones]

I made my mast out of 3/4 galvanized pipe. I drove it into the ground next to my home and ran it up 30'. You cant get a better ground than that. I still used a grounding block on my coax and ran it back to the mast.


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Kipp


IS THAT A REMOTE CONTROL IN YOUR POCKET OR ARE YOU JUST HAPPY TO SEE HDTV?

 

[Dal1as]

Just remember that grounding an antenna or dish only makes it a lesser target for lightning and does nothing to protect your house or equipment in a event of a lightning strike. The ground on the cable run is mainly for the release of static electricity. In fact the ground on the dish is not even needed unless, like in the case of Paul, your antenna or dish is the highest point around.

 

[Dixon]

I have a large antenna on my roof that was already there when I moved into my house a few years ago. It has coax that runs down to my basement, but isn't hooked up to anything. Will hooking it up to a STB increase the likelihood (other than murphy's law of course) that my antenna will be struck? In otherwords, is the antenna less of a target since it isn't hooked up? I'm asking because my house is 3 stories tall (4 from the backyard basement level) and I really don't want to climb up there to check the ground wire. I would rather rely on the fact that it hasn't been struck in all the years it has been up there so it is likely grounded.

 

[Dal1as]

Check the ground. Not only due to the lightening factor but because the ground will help dissipate the static electricity caused by the wind and the antenna which can fry equipment. As for the lightening factor. A good ground will not help dissipate a lightening strike like many people think but will only help the dish or antenna blend in to it's environment due to the gound. Sort of like camoflauge. lol

 

[Dixon]

Thanks for the reply. Guess I better check my life insurance before I climb up there http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

 

[del]

My installer also said it really does not help much. He said make sure your insurance is paid up and you will get a new TV. I kind of hope it happens in a few years.

 

[Rayman Carlton]

Dal is right. NOTHING is going to protect you from a direct lightning strike. July 25th, 2:17AM. BOOM!!! It hit my 150' oak tree 15' from aluminum-frame sliding glass windows and chimney antenna. It jumped to windowframes and antenna. Then went looking for grounds. The antenna, of course and TV cable coax which was 6" from the window.

Dish 6000, MITS 73903, computer, two TVs, and a multitude of electronics all TOAST. Three AC outlets beneath the windows exploded. Everything was properly grounded and had surge protectors. Not one house circuit breaker was tripped.

As the electrician who checked out my wiring explained, the lighting bolt electrified my ground/neutral with thousands of volts.

HiFi Buys service says he can replace every board in the MITS for $2,100. Thank gosh for insurance. They will recieve a bill for over $6K.

Ray

 

[BarryO]

Quote:

Originally posted by del: My installer also said it really does not help much. He said make sure your insurance is paid up and you will get a new TV. I kind of hope it happens in a few years.

But if you don't do things according to the NEC, an insurer could use it as reason for denying your claim. 'beeter to make sure everything is legal.




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You have a right to install OTA and dish antennas on property under your control.


See http://www.fcc.gov/csb/facts/otard.html

 

[Bill Schmeling]

OK folks,

Here is my plan

Lets see if I got this right--

1)ground the mast(I assume anywhere on the mast via new RS aluminum wire) via seperate wire to new copper rod and tie to house ground (new house wiring has dual copper rods outside and is tied to well, I plan to tie into house ground there)--

2)ground coax on entry to new cooper ground rod--

3)BUT do I really need to ground the rotar wire too.


Finally new antenna is chimney mounted--chimney has stainless "varmint" caps--do I or should I ground these for 1) safety and/or 2) reception interference. Antenna is 3-4 feet above caps.


I am still playing with this trying for chicago and Madison, so I am sure to have more questions.


Thanks in advance.


Bill


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Cranial Nerve II With control by III, IV, and VI

 

[jhill32]

OK. So this has got me thinking. How should all of this apply to an antennae mounted in the attic? If I ground it, am I just askin' for a lightning bolt to burn its way through my roof?




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