Grounding Question

[jsb_hburg]

Hello,

I have my install scheduled for tomorrow. During my "this old house" rehab, I have previously run coax cables from the attic to the second floor bathroom where I installed a grounding block and connected a ground wire to a cold water pipe. The coax then continues to the second floor coax receptacle and the other, to the first floor receptacle.

I plan to have the OTA antenna and Voom dish installed on the chimney and have the respective coax connected to the existing coax in the attic. The grounding blocks in the second floor bathroom are about 25 feet in cabling from the antenna site.

Is this grounding good enough? Should another grounding block be added at the install site by the chimney? Would two sets fo grounding blocks hurt the signal?

Thanks!

 

[branchbouncer]

Cold water pipe grounding should be done as close to where the water service enters the house from outside,the pipe enters the house-on the other side of the wall the pipe is in soil(ground)

 

[Mike500]

Make sure that the house panel ground is bonded to the cold water pipe within 5 feet of its entrance into the house. The water pipe ground must be continuous. Jumpers with #6 copper condictors and UL listed clamps must span the water heater, the water meter, or any other dielectric nonconducting pipe union.

The current 2002 National Electric Code (NEC) states that water pipe ground only is not adequate. It would be easy to supplement it with an 8 ft UL grounding rod connected to the panel using a #6 copper conductor.

 

[jsb_hburg]

Make sure that the house panel ground is bonded to the cold water pipe within 5 feet of its entrance into the house. The water pipe ground must be continuous. Jumpers with #6 copper condictors and UL listed clamps must span the water heater, the water meter, or any other dielectric nonconducting pipe union.

The current 2002 National Electric Code (NEC) states that water pipe ground only is not adequate. It would be easy to supplement it with an 8 ft UL grounding rod connected to the panel using a #6 copper conductor.

Yes, my panel is located right next to where the water supply enters the house. The grounding rod is in the ground just on the other side from the panel and water supply and there is a grounding wire from the panel to the grounding rod. So, I believe it is definitely within the first five feet.

I installed my antenna on the roof and, just in case, I have put a grounding block on the outside for the installer to run a ground wire from the block to the rod.

So, is the original grounding effort in the first post adequate? Alternatively, it would not hurt to add a second grounding block on the outside where the cable enters the house?

Thanks!

 

[Mike500]

Your original effort would be fine, but it would not hurt to do as you said with an additional grounding block. The NEC is a minimum. Overkill is good when it comes to safety.

 

[OHMS]

DI-COM installers suggest INDOOR GROUNDING !!??!!

The current 2002 National Electric Code (NEC) states that water pipe ground only is not adequate. It would be easy to supplement it with an 8 ft UL grounding rod connected to the panel using a #6 copper conductor.

So, is the original grounding effort in the first post adequate? Alternatively, it would not hurt to add a second grounding block on the outside where the cable enters the house?T hanks!

I paid local satellite pro to advise me; DiCom (Long Beach, CA) are Installs Inc. local vendor; but they got zero OTA in 2 service calls with upgrade OTA antennae (Radio Shack # U-75R UHF). They finally put it where local pro suggested; resulted in 50 OTA channels with 98/99!

They ran separate coax cable from rooftop OTA antennae to splitter block in my upstairs office. It feeds the three VOOM receivers in our house. They DID NOT GROUND THE ANTENNAE NOR THE DISH, but suggested that I attach the splitter blocks to the metal case of the circuit breaker box inside my office !! If the NEC quote above is correct; VOOM and their contracted installers should know it, should they not? Three installers I've been graced with all disagreed w/NEC requirement Mike500s quoted post references. Is it required by NEC or not?

I protested, and signed the work order Incomplete because of the lack of grounding. There was not a copy for me ! Think they'll send one?

Rained again last night and pictures on all satellite channels broke up very badly, and went to black screen several times. I turned everything off and disconnected the expensive TVs lest lightning find its way into our living room. Today I called VOOM and CSR ADAM 123 wrote service order for upgrade to the 30in. dish VOOM APPROVED BEFORE in additon to requiring copper wire run from the dish to a ground rod and from the antennae to another grounding rod. Di Com brought a 24in. dish sent from Las Vegas to a Long Beach CA subscriber.

They hope for a Tuesday Mar. 29 install. This delay is because VOOM may have to ship the 30in. dish from New York if DiCom won't buy one here and charge VOOM for it. Hell, DiCom has the one VOOM sent for me last week, but DiCom twice told me I don't need a larger one ! VOOM's attempts at great service seem repeatedly thwarted by local installers with anti-VOOM bias.

The installer developed significant symptoms of cat allergies during his visit, so I put a couple small TVs and the VOOM receivers beside a skylight so the rooftop dish aiming could be quantified on the screen of the small TVs. I gave him medication and a tip but in his haste to depart he took all of the extra cables that came in the receiver boxes, leaving only coax runs from receivers to the small TVs and lengths of coax I could run to the living rooms. I have two replay TVs and a TIVO, so I asked to receive the digital and component cables when they return. Wish me luck!
mike
I just reread voom help 633; seems contradictory. All or none. where's middle?