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Old 14-Sep-2017, 10:12 PM   #1
Fool82
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Fond Du Lac,WI
Posts: 8
Need help on installing an antenna on a home with a lighting protection system

Hi.

I have a cousin who would like to receive over the air stations in her home. I happen to have an Antenacraft HBU33 antenna and an Radioshack eave mount kit I purchased 3 years ago that I never used and would like to donate to her.I'm capable of climbing an ladder and installing the mount and antenna. But I have severe ignorance on where to mount the tv antenna with a lightning protection system on the house installed.

In an ideal world,I would elect in erecting an antenna tower for the antenna and keep it seperate from the home as I've witnessed other homes in the area with this setup have done. But money is a factor and hiring a crew to install an antenna tower is not an option for my cousin.

My questions to the community are these.(1)Do I remove 1 of the lightning rods of the protection system where the antenna is installed with an eve mount to avoid conflict?Meaning instead of the lightning rod in that section of the roof being the highest point,now the tv antenna is.(2)Do I mount the antenna near where the home electrical service is installed and ground the antenna and mast to the home electrical panel ground rod?(3) Would a tripod mount be recommended if the home lighting protection system rods are to be left alone and mount the antenna in between the rods?

The TV Fool report of the home is here.The stations desired are between 24 and 29 degrees compass North.
http://http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3de6a42a6de466c9

I would plan to purchase a pre-amp for the antenna as well.So far,I am leaning towards purchasing a Wineguard LNA-200 Boost XT.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQN3R9O...d=P4F63VBV0YQH

I had thought of installing the mount and antenna on the highest point here in this photo.However,according to my cousin,this is where a lighting strike hit over 10 years ago while here husband was in the shower one morning. They both were scared,but no one fortunately was injured during the strike.The lighting protection system did it's job and directed the strike to ground.But several electrical devices and computers were fried in the strike.As I figure the home electrical panel does not have electrical surge protection. So I know from history that lightning has and will someday possibly strike again.So I know not to dismiss the danger and make sure to install the tv antenna safely so the lightning protection system is still is doing it's job for years to come.
http://https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2ZjYB5H21GLSUdvbkpkbGhGU0k/view?usp=sharing

A side view of the home is here.I believe the home electrical line service is underground instead of hung from a utility pole like my home.
http://https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2ZjYB5H21GLRmJLdVpQNzFUTVk/view?usp=sharing

I did find several previous post from others asking for grounding advice. While lighting protection systems were mentioned.I could not seem to find anyone asking how do you install an antenna with one these systems installed on a home?

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.p...tection+system

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.p...tection+system

http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.p...tection+system

I'm aware I've probably elected a project that is beyond what an average home owner should attempt. But I'd appreciate any advice anyone could give before attempting this install.

Asking from Fond Du Lac in Wisconsin.
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Old 20-Sep-2017, 6:10 PM   #2
Fool82
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Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Fond Du Lac,WI
Posts: 8
It's been close to a week and I have yet to receive a reply from anyone on what to try or do with this antenna install I would like to do for my cousin.I'm not getting impatient. But I would accept someone telling me to hire an electrician for the job if all else fails.

So far, I'm at the point of eventually attempting the install on a seperate garage from the house that doesn't have lightning rods installed. I would attempt to route the antenna coax cable to the already intstalled cable/satellite coax that was installed years ago that isn't being used. I would make sure if I do this,that the garage coax is not still connected to the home cable internet connection that she is still using.

If I do not receive any replies, that is most likely what I will try even though reception will not be as good as from the second story eave of the home. I will be sure to document what I did for others to see within 2 weeks if nobody replies.Weather is a factor of why I'm imposing a deadline. I do not care to attempt this when snow will be a weather factor.

If anyone has information on how to connect a tv antenna on a home with lightning rods,I greatly appreciate it.I would prefer to install the antenna on the home. If a tripod is best instead of eaves mount, I would install the tripod mount on the attached home garage roof in case of leakage.
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Old 20-Sep-2017, 8:31 PM   #3
rabbit73
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: S.E. VA
Posts: 2,747
I did see your thread when you first posted, but I didn't think I had any useful answers for you. As you are aware, I have already answered similar question in previous threads that you have linked. I will give you my thoughts now just to let you know that someone was paying attention.

If you look at the Views column, you will see that your thread was looked at 129 times.

Quote:
(1)Do I remove 1 of the lightning rods of the protection system where the antenna is installed with an eve mount to avoid conflict?Meaning instead of the lightning rod in that section of the roof being the highest point,now the tv antenna is.
That's a bad idea. You would compromise the lightning protection system. The grounding for lightning protection and the grounding for a TV antenna are not equivalent. The lightning protection system is designed to carry high strike currents; the TV grounding is not. The TV grounding is only designed to drain a buildup of static charge to discourage a strike. A strike would destroy the TV grounding.
Quote:
2)Do I mount the antenna near where the home electrical service is installed and ground the antenna and mast to the home electrical panel ground rod?
That is what the NEC intended, but I can't predict how it might interact with the lightning protection system during a storm.

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), 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.



Quote:
(3) Would a tripod mount be recommended if the home lighting protection system rods are to be left alone and mount the antenna in between the rods?
I'm not too keen on that idea. If the TV antenna is higher, it might take a strike.

Antenna System Bonding and Grounding Requirements
http://www.reeve.com/Documents/Artic...ents_Reeve.pdf

Quote:
So far, I'm at the point of eventually attempting the install on a seperate garage from the house that doesn't have lightning rods installed.
That might work. An attic installation might also work if the signal attenuation in the attic isn't too high.
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Last edited by rabbit73; 20-Sep-2017 at 10:31 PM.
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