What is the proper way to ground a dish? I will be mounting mine to the underside of a wooden porch and would appreciate any feedback. Thanks.
Dish Grounding Precautions?
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Some threads from the recent past: http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/312637-Lightning-LNB-damage
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/313115-Bringing-the-grounding-discussion-here!
But the 'general' idea is to tie it to your homes electrical ground* with as straight a run as possible. That is ultimately grounded to a ground rod or copper water pipe that exits the premises.
On a porch, low to the ground, I (personally) wouldn't worry too much. Taller structures around it offer a 'cone of protection'.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/threads/313115-Bringing-the-grounding-discussion-here!
But the 'general' idea is to tie it to your homes electrical ground* with as straight a run as possible. That is ultimately grounded to a ground rod or copper water pipe that exits the premises.
On a porch, low to the ground, I (personally) wouldn't worry too much. Taller structures around it offer a 'cone of protection'.
Mount a coax ground block near base of the dish or near the coax entry point. Some installers also ground the mast. Run the ground wire on the outside of the home to the common ground rod that is used for your home's electrical, and other utilities. Do not set a separate ground rod unless it is also bonded to the home's ground rod. The ground wire should be of an adequate gauge, with no sharp bends and as short as possible.
You will likely get many replies with many different answers to your question. There is the right way then there is someone else's way...
If you are in doubt, check the local code or with a licensed electrician. Most local codes follow the NEC (National Electrical Code) handbook, if you want some interesting reading...
I agree with Magic Static, the low mounted dish will likely be protected.
You will likely get many replies with many different answers to your question. There is the right way then there is someone else's way...
If you are in doubt, check the local code or with a licensed electrician. Most local codes follow the NEC (National Electrical Code) handbook, if you want some interesting reading... I agree with Magic Static, the low mounted dish will likely be protected.
Like Titanium said, checking local code or asking a licensed electrician that works in your area would be the only way to be sure, electrical code changes quite often and it can be different from one area to another.
Last summer I upgraded my electric service and debated about doing it myself, but it's been a few years since I'd done anything like that and also knew that there was a problem out on the pole in front of my house that the electric company kept saying wasn't on the pole. [Which it was, one line feeding the house was only hanging on by two or three strands] So I decided to just have an electrician upgrade the service and deal with the light company. Found out that here in my town you now have to have two ground rods for your electrical service, ten feet apart, and there was about three other things that had changed that I didn't know about. Saved me some headaches having the electrician do it rather than me doing it and then having to redo part of it once it was inspected.
Not saying you should have a licensed electrician do your dish grounding, but asking one or checking local code is really the only way to be positively sure about it because electrical code does change over time.
Last summer I upgraded my electric service and debated about doing it myself, but it's been a few years since I'd done anything like that and also knew that there was a problem out on the pole in front of my house that the electric company kept saying wasn't on the pole. [Which it was, one line feeding the house was only hanging on by two or three strands] So I decided to just have an electrician upgrade the service and deal with the light company. Found out that here in my town you now have to have two ground rods for your electrical service, ten feet apart, and there was about three other things that had changed that I didn't know about. Saved me some headaches having the electrician do it rather than me doing it and then having to redo part of it once it was inspected.
Not saying you should have a licensed electrician do your dish grounding, but asking one or checking local code is really the only way to be positively sure about it because electrical code does change over time.
Could you tell us why? (I have an idea, but a master of electronics info is of value)
To simplify the reasoning behind bonding...
Bonding multiple grounds together balances the voltage potential. This could eliminate the stray low voltages that can cause hum in the audio, hum bars drifting through a video display or even damage to DiSEqC switches.
In the event that the system gets energized (electrical short, lightning EMF, etc.) the voltage will flow to the path of least resistance and not dance through your equipment rack while making its way to another ground source.
I read a great statement on another forum several years back. If you don't bond the ground rods together, they're still electrically connected... just through your equipment!
Bonding multiple grounds together balances the voltage potential. This could eliminate the stray low voltages that can cause hum in the audio, hum bars drifting through a video display or even damage to DiSEqC switches.
In the event that the system gets energized (electrical short, lightning EMF, etc.) the voltage will flow to the path of least resistance and not dance through your equipment rack while making its way to another ground source.
I read a great statement on another forum several years back. If you don't bond the ground rods together, they're still electrically connected... just through your equipment!
These are all good ideas. I'll talk to my electrician. Since my cabin is pretty new, he'll be familiar with the situation and advise me accordingly. Thank you all.
Lightening almost always takes the most direct and low resistance path to ground. So by grounding your dish are you not inviting a direct lightening hit? The idea of grounding is to keep lightening from entering your home and destroying your electronics and possibly your home. But nothing is ever absolute. I had lightening hit the ground behind my house totally missing ham antennas and dishies on my roof which are all properly grounded. The highest object is not necessarily what is going to be hit. What am I trying to say? Ground everthing but that will not mean your are safe from a direct strike. Most damage is done by induced surges coming into your home via the electrical system anyways.
In West Virginia, 100 or 200 amp services require two 8' copper electrodes in the ground 6' or more apart. #4 awg solid copper ground wire bonded to the neutral in the outdoor service disconnect box. Just upgraded mine myself.
All new construction in Oregon use the Ufer ground system within the concrete foundation no ground rods! - see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ufer_ground
Bob
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ufer_ground
Bob
Another difficult area to ground is in rocky terrain. Usually many ground radials fan out from the base of the tower like spokes on a wheel. There are also chemical canisters that can be buried into the rock to improve connectivity. In northwestern Ontario ( rocky terrain) radio com towers are constantly at the mercy of strikes. No amount of protection is enough to completely save the equipment from a direct lightening hit.
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