Dish 1000 install ?

[tsduke]

I just got installed today. I have the Dish 1000 feeding a 622 and a 322. Does this swith need to be grounded. When I look system info, it lists Device: DPP Twin. The installers ran the cables directly to my tv's and I want to make sure it's correct. I called them and was told this switch doesn't need the grounding.

The last time I had E*, I hade a 500 and it had to be grounded

 

[Jordan420]

should be grouned at the point the feeds enter the house

 

[webbydude]

Technically speaking, the switch is internalized to the DPP Twin.

But if you don't see ANY grounding (i.e, a groundblock with a ground wire running to an acceptable) then hell yeah...I'd be raising major stinkage.

Call either the installation company that did your install or Dish and express your concerns

 

[tsduke]

Is there any documentation about a ground with this setup? I called the local retailer and talked to a salesman that went and checked and was told that the ground is not needed.

 

[webbydude]

WTF!!!!!!!!

"ground is not needed"?!?

Oh my F'ing gawd...is that guy on crack???? If nothing else, it's required by Dish and the NEC (electrical code)

If I were you, I'd try calling one more time and mention that if someone doesn't come out, then you'll place a call directly with Dish to schedule a service call. That sort of thing should get things rolling.

 

[tsduke]

It doesn't look like they installed a ground on the OTA antenna I had them install either.

 

[cybertrip]

The guy that came out and installed my dish didn't do any grounding. As a matter of fact he removed my old grounding from my directv dish/switch and left it hanging. I am going to fix everything later on as he doesn't know wtf he was doing anyways. The installer basically said that grounding was a waste of time and wouldn't make a difference. No 1, it's CODE. No 2, we get a lot of static build up here and that has to be dissipated somewhere. No. 3 IT's CODE!!!

I ought to have Dish send some one to inspect his install.

 

[ZandarKoad]

Right, ground it if possible. If he's in an apartment complex with no available ground... Then it's either no ground or no dish.

But it does sound like he's in a house, and it should be grounded... It is code, but it won't have any effect on your system. Some even go so far as to say that proper grounding increases the likelyhood of lightning strikes.

 

[tsduke]

Yes, I'm in a house.

Everyone is saying "Ground" on here. I can't figure out why the retailer says it doesn't need grounded. The retailer has a pretty good reputation in the area. I will be calling them when the open this morning. I need to ask about my antenna as well.

This is probably a dumb question, but I'll ask anyway. What is being protected by grounding the dish?

 

[ZandarKoad]

It probably doesn't need to be grounded because you may have ordered directly from the retailer and the job itself will never be Quality Controlled. It really isn't going to do anything for you. If you're afraid of lightning, terrorists, and shark attacks then it will do one (and only one) thing for you: give you peace of mind. The most experienced electricians and electrical engineers that I've asked agree that it does not protect you from lightning. I've only been doing this for 3 years, with no lightning strikes (that I know of) so I can't speak from personal experience.

 

[FredC]

Should you get a lighting strike NEARBY, the cable MAY pickup some of the discharge. If it's close enough, it can melt the cable and cause a surge in your electronics connected to those cables. The electronics and cable will be damaged. A grounding block will usually stop the surge from reaching your electronics, but the cable will most likely be melted/destroyed up to the grounding block. If you get a direct hit, it won't matter much, as whatever the lighting hits will be destroyed.

 

[FredC]

It probably doesn't need to be grounded because you may have ordered directly from the retailer and the job itself will never be Quality Controlled. It really isn't going to do anything for you. If you're afraid of lightning, terrorists, and shark attacks then it will do one (and only one) thing for you: give you peace of mind. The most experienced electricians and electrical engineers that I've asked agree that it does not protect you from lightning. I've only been doing this for 3 years, with no lightning strikes (that I know of) so I can't speak from personal experience.

I really don't want to start a war here, but just because it won"t be checked by QC, then it's ok not to ground? While I'll agree it most likely won't do much, it may prevent a fire. Could save some electronics also. Obviously someone who has more knowledge then me (the NEC) thinks it should be grounded.
Sounds like the installer took a short cut to me, but thats just my opinion.

 

[ZandarKoad]

I really don't want to start a war here, but just because it won"t be checked by QC, then it's ok not to ground? While I'll agree it most likely won't do much, it may prevent a fire. Could save some electronics also. Obviously someone who has more knowledge then me (the NEC) thinks it should be grounded.
Sounds like the installer took a short cut to me, but thats just my opinion.

Meh, the grounding issue gets re-hashed (at least) every few months on these forums with new posters. I personally would take the word of an experienced individual over the word of a bureaucratic commission. But to each his own. I ground because the guy who cuts my checks tells me to.

 

[tdcsparky]

The system does not need to be externally grounded to work. The ground on the dish is to protect the company from law suits. The 18 volts might get to you and cause you to fall/jump and get hurt. A lightning strike starts from the best ground. In this case it could be your grounded antenna. An ionizied trail goes from the best ground to the cloud with a large static build up. Then the mega amps follow this trail back to the grounded dish. The small grounding conductor now turns to vapor and your need some repairs. I never ground a residential installation unless the owner wants one. All commercial installs are grounded with a conductor big enough to drain most of the lightning strike.

 

[wobbie]

The ground will also help prevent static electricity from reaching the LNB and help prevent the possibility of problems from that. The other issue is regardless if a retailer did the install or DNSC... Dish Networks standard installation guidlines rewuire the system to be grounded. If you're not happy with the install call Dish Network and they will send someone out and backcharge the installation company.

 

[dolaman]

your homes electrical system is grounded to protect you from power surges lighting strikes, so forth and so on... picture this, the electric company does something goofy in your area and knocks out your power, or a transformer blows in your area. your system isn't grounded, and it fries your receiver your 2500.00 flat panel lcd and all your stereo equip...
NOW youve got to fight w/ your insurance co, and everybody else involved. is all thatr worth it?? Ground your system!!

 

[ZandarKoad]

your homes electrical system is grounded to protect you from power surges lighting strikes, so forth and so on... picture this, the electric company does something goofy in your area and knocks out your power, or a transformer blows in your area. your system isn't grounded, and it fries your receiver your 2500.00 flat panel lcd and all your stereo equip...
NOW youve got to fight w/ your insurance co, and everybody else involved. is all thatr worth it?? Ground your system!!

A grounded dish and grounded coax would not protect anything in your home from a power surge coming from your main circuit box.

 

[tsduke]

I just got off the phone with the owner of the store. He said they have been doing this for over 20 years without grounding.

He's calling Dish to ask them about it and it going to call me back.

I would just install grounds myself, but I don't think there is enough slack in the coax runs to cut and add a ground block.

 

[mark1101]

I recently had an upgrade to Dish1000 and it was done by a local dealer well known in our area as an electronics expert. He said the grounding only protects the LNB from static buildup and offers absolutely no protection from a lightning strike. He grounds all his installations as Dish suggests and per electrical code.

I have a device....I don't know what it is called that is attached across our electric meter and has some LEDs on it....outdoors. This is a specific lightning surge protector for the large motor devices in the home like HVAC, refrigerators, washers/dryers. It supposedly does not protect things like PCs and TVs and such. We pay $6.00/mo extra on the elec. bill for the thing. We have a lot of lightning damage in our area and most everyone has them installed by the power company...as I did.

At our last house the thing completely fried itself from a nearby lightning strike. I couldn't believe how it had burned up....but nothing in our house was damaged. The power company had to come and replace it and restore power. I will always have one.

 

[tsduke]

Well, he called Dish and couldn't get a straight answer out of them. I also called them and the tech couldn't answer my question. The owner of the store also called an electrician who told him it grounding can actually increase chances of a hit.

I called city about code and was told it's nothing they enforce.

This question is killing me. It doesn't seem there is a correct answer.