TV Fool  

Go Back   TV Fool > Over The Air Services > Special Topics > Antennas

Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 8-Sep-2016, 10:42 AM   #1
Zee
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 9
Grounding antenna against lightning?

Hey guys,

I installed my antenna on the roof. There was nothing to mount it to so I stuck a fence pole into a concrete base and just placed it on the roof of my house, which is flat with a rubber membrane covering a plywood surface.

Is this now a magnet for lighting? Should I be running some kind of grounding wire from it to the water main?

Thanks
Zee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 9-Sep-2016, 5:58 PM   #2
rickbb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 341
Yes, ground both the mast and coax to your house ground rod, (separately), not the water main.
rickbb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 9-Sep-2016, 7:02 PM   #3
Zee
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 9
Thanks rickbb. How do I ground the coax? Would a grounded surge protector power bar work?
Zee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-Sep-2016, 1:18 AM   #4
GroundUrMast
Moderator
 
GroundUrMast's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Greater Seattle Area
Posts: 4,773
Have a look at this thread... http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=901 Particularly post #20

If you need more specific info, feel free to ask detailed questions.
__________________
If the well is dry and you don't see rain on the horizon, you'll need to dig the hole deeper. (If the antenna can't get the job done, an amp won't fix it.)

(Please direct account activation inquiries to 'admin')
GroundUrMast is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-Sep-2016, 2:50 AM   #5
Zee
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 9
Great info. Thanks for pointing me to it!
Zee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-Sep-2016, 1:06 PM   #6
rabbit73
Retired A/V Tech
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: S.E. VA
Posts: 2,747
If the antenna is outside, the coax shield should be grounded with a grounding block that is connected to the house electrical system ground with 10 gauge copper wire for electrical safety and to reject interference. For further compliance with the electrical code (NEC in the US), the mast should also be grounded in a similar manner to drain any buildup of static charge which will tend to discourage a strike, but the system will not survive a direct strike.





I consider grounding the coax with a grounding block of primary importance for personal electrical safety. The antenna coax is connected to AC operated equipment which usually only has a 2-wire power cord instead of a 3-wire power cord. If the equipment becomes defective, the coax grounding will help protect you from electrical shock. I have had three close calls with electrical shock, so I'm a little more cautious than most.

case history:
http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/81-o...ml#post1457594

http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/81-o...ml#post1457668
__________________
If you can not measure it, you can not improve it.
Lord Kelvin, 1883
http://www.megalithia.com/elect/aeri...ttpoorman.html

Last edited by rabbit73; 13-Sep-2016 at 1:34 PM.
rabbit73 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-Sep-2016, 6:13 PM   #7
Stereocraig
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 472
I remember back in HS 40yrs ago, we were taught to ground to the "Street side" of the water meter. What changed that?
Stereocraig is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 13-Sep-2016, 6:31 PM   #8
ADTech
Antennas Direct Tech Supp
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,942
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stereocraig View Post
I remember back in HS 40yrs ago, we were taught to ground to the "Street side" of the water meter. What changed that?
Plastic water pipe.

It is still permitted to use metal water lines for grounding, see NEC section 810.21 for the specific details.
__________________
Antennas Direct Tech Support

For support and recommendations regarding our products, please contact us directly at https://www.antennasdirect.com/customer-service.html

Sorry, I'm not a mod and cannot assist with your site registration.
ADTech is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-Sep-2016, 2:27 PM   #9
Zee
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 9
Rabbit73:. Excellent post. That makes it Crystal clear. Much appreciated.
Zee is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Go Back   TV Fool > Over The Air Services > Special Topics > Antennas


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off




All times are GMT. The time now is 2:38 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright © TV Fool, LLC