Need grounding suggestions

[bearg]

I'm looking for suggestions on grounding my antenna, mast, & amp. If I effectively ground the amp, can I assume the antenna is also grounded? 2 grounding options I see:

Option # 1
Antenna/Mast/amp is about 90 linear feet (along house perimeter) from outside meter box currently already used by TV/internet cable (will soon cut cable TV) If I run 90 feet of ground wire, should I be concerned with this amount of length of ground wire? Could I connect to the same ground on the meter as the existing ground wire for the tv/internet cable ?


Option # 2
Inside Fuse panel in the basement with ground wire from the panel to cold water pipe is 40 linear feet away from the Antenna/Mast/amp. Could I run my insulated copper ground wire into my basement & connect to the same cold water pipe?

My setup:
RCA ANT751 Outdoor Antenna
8-Port Bi-Directional Cable TV HDTV Amplifier Splitter Signal Booster with Passive Return
Copper Ground Wire #10 Gauge - 100 Ft
1977 House in Atlanta GA suburb

I have 7 TVs that I need to hook up. I have a very good signal where I have this installed on the side of my house.

Thanks in advance!

[GroundUrMast]

Your option #1 is better than option #2. Without being able to see the existing connection for the phone & cable, it sounds like an ideal grounding point for the antenna system

My summary on antenna system grounding is here, http://forum.tvfool.com/showthread.php?t=901, see post #20 in particular.

Though the NEC and similar codes permit some portion of the grounding conductor to be run in or through the building, I avoid it if at all possible. Why would I intentionally lead fault current into or through my home?

The mast ground should be separate and distinct from the coax ground. This allows the mast ground to be as long as necessary and allows the coax ground to be kept as short as practical. And, by treating them as independent grounding connections, you prevent a fault current in one from causing fault current in the other... Consider the scenario where power or lightning sourced fault current is in contact with the mast, but not the coax... Separate ground connections keep the voltage on the coax portion of your antenna system near the same level as the rest of the grounded parts of your electrical system throughout your home. If the mast and coax are connected together at any point before the connection to the electrical service ground, a fault to the mast would elevate the coax voltage... Just how much would depend on the magnitude of the fault and the resistance between the common point and the electrical service ground connection.

[bearg]

Thanks for the input. My internet cable comes from the street & phone (land line) are separate.

It makes sense to avoid going in the building. I'll ground the mast all the way to service panel.

According to your summary, you suggested to run the coax to within 10' of the service panel & use #10 ground wire to ground block. How would you ground the AMP/8-way splitter? It's 90' distance between Antenna & panel.

[GroundUrMast]

The coax shield should be grounded at only one point, near the electrical service, before it enters the building. This one connection serves to hold the entire coax network, inside and out, at the voltage level of the electrical service ground. The preamplifier at the antenna will be grounded via the coax shield. The splitter and any other components attached to the coax system will also be held at the voltage level of the electrical service ground.

If a source of fault current is connected to the coax or any component attached to the coax network, it will flow to ground through the coax shield to the grounding block and then to the electrical service ground system via the short #10 AWG jumper. If the fault is due to static buildup, you'll likely never notice anything happening because the amount of current is usually very low. If the fault is due to something like a nail or screw shorting a coax cable and power wire inside a wall, you would expect the circuit breaker of fuse to open, indicating a fault.