Grounding question

[hosedup]

My current setup is an SL5 (not SWM) on an 8' 6x6 post sunk 5' into 5 bags of cement, 5 RG6 (1 spare) in buried conduit (~6' deep, ~30' long) up to the house, connected to 4 way grounding block (bonded to ground rod) then enters the house and goes to a 6x8 multiswitch.

Today I replaced my LNB and added a set of 4 splices at the dish post so I can insert a signal meter. My plan is to put in a 4 way grounding block (on order) on the post.

My questions:
I have a feeling that during my original install, I should have grounded the dish.....am I correct in this assumption?

If this is required, should I sink a rod at the dish post (~30 ft from house) or pull a ground wire to the house and bond there? Pulling a ground wire isn't possible because the conduit isn't big enough to run a tape through.

If grounding is required but can be done at the dish, should I use the 4 way block for a grounding point or should I bold the wire to the dish structure?

Ive read through NEC 2011 but am unsure what sections apply to this.

Side question, should the multiswitch be grounded as well? Mine isn't but is near a sub panel in my AV closet so it would be trivial to do.

 

[Jimbo]

Technically your suppose to ground everything to the HOUSE ground ...

Sounds like your post is already grounded at the dish going into the ground.

 

[hosedup]

Technically your suppose to ground everything to the HOUSE ground ...

Sounds like your post is already grounded at the dish going into the ground.

In case I diddnt say so, the post is wood. 6x6 pressure treated.

 

[Jimbo]

In case I diddnt say so, the post is wood. 6x6 pressure treated.

Oh, your right, then it's not grounded, I read it correctly thew first time and then posted the wrong info..

However, your still SUPPOSE to ground to the main Home electrical ground, but many don't / can't.

Fwiw, the ground is basically for stray voltage as a true lightning strike will kill most all with the ground doing very little in most cases.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Here is one you will really like!

As mentioned you are supposed to ground the dish at the electrical bond for the house.
Since you can't fish a ground line you can either"
Just kick in a ground wire outside the conduit..10 ga I think.
OR
Since you have way more RG6 runs than you need....select one and strip it for use as a ground. Screw a spliced end to the dish and the other end to the ground lug on the
multiswitch which is or can be grounded to the main bond.

AND a thing to be aware of is the 6x6 post issue. Wood posts work fine, but over time will bend in the direction of the sun, thus changing the el & az of your dish tuning. Protecting the post with something beside paint or stain will stop this. Shakes, shingles, vynal siding, ivy or other plants., plywood........anything to keep the sun from warping the post.

I think the ground rod you used is a technical violation of most electric codes unless it is back bonded every ten feet all the way to the main bond.

Your rig will work fine for years without doing anything.

Joe

 

[hosedup]

Here is one you will really like!

As mentioned you are supposed to ground the dish at the electrical bond for the house.
Since you can't fish a ground line you can either"
Just kick in a ground wire outside the conduit..10 ga I think.
OR
Since you have way more RG6 runs than you need....select one and strip it for use as a ground. Screw a spliced end to the dish and the other end to the ground lug on the
multiswitch which is or can be grounded to the main bond.

AND a thing to be aware of is the 6x6 post issue. Wood posts work fine, but over time will bend in the direction of the sun, thus changing the el & az of your dish tuning. Protecting the post with something beside paint or stain will stop this. Shakes, shingles, vynal siding, ivy or other plants., plywood........anything to keep the sun from warping the post.

I think the ground rod you used is a technical violation of most electric codes unless it is back bonded every ten feet all the way to the main bond.

Your rig will work fine for years without doing anything.

Joe

Way more coaxes than needed? I ran 5 so there would be a spare. Are you suggesting that there is a way to use a SWM LNB and connect that to a multiswitch that converts signals to boxes that do not support SWM? (or something like this)

The ground rod I used was the same grounding point for the AC feeder. The entrance bridge with the 4 coaxes is bonded directly to it (and right next to it).

I know that the wood post may be an issue again at some point in time. 18 months after I installed it, I had to re-plumb the mast because the wood warped a little. 6 years latter, the mast is still plumb. Good suggestion for covering it.

 

[Jimbo]

Way more coaxes than needed? I ran 5 so there would be a spare. Are you suggesting that there is a way to use a SWM LNB and connect that to a multiswitch that converts signals to boxes that do not support SWM? (or something like this)

The ground rod I used was the same grounding point for the AC feeder. The entrance bridge with the 4 coaxes is bonded directly to it (and right next to it).

I know that the wood post may be an issue again at some point in time. 18 months after I installed it, I had to re-plumb the mast because the wood warped a little. 6 years latter, the mast is still plumb. Good suggestion for covering it.

What recvrs are you using in the set up ?
Anything HR20 and newer should be SWM capable and you would be able to change to a SWM LNB ...

 

[PMKS]

I also have a slimline dish but on a steel pipe in my yard with RG6 in conduit running to a junction box on the side of my house.
During my initial DirecTV install in the early 90's, the installer said I needed a ground rod, so I went to the local hardware store and got a 6' long, 1/2 ground rod, only one they had, (larger than the ground rod for my main breaker box) it took us a while to hammer it in the ground, in addition to the ground block in the junction box, a copper wire runs in the conduit from the ground rod to the pole/dish.
When I was upgraded to the slimline dish, the tech attached the copper wire to one of the bolts on the dish.
Just FYI.....


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[cparker]

My dish and my electric service entrance are on opposite corners of the house. I drove a copper grounding rod (the big kind, not one of those little skinny, 2 ft long ones) at the dish location. Then I ran a #6 wire around the house to where the house ground is and tied the #6 to that (same as the rod where the house ground is). I just turfed the wire (turf cut with a shovel and poked the wire in) and in some places where it ran through a garden It's not hardly buried at all. Any place I used a wire bug (clamp) I used BRASS, not copper. The brass will withstand being buried. Copper.... not so much. Because it's just a bonding line, the way I ran it was deemed "fine, no problem with that at all" by an electrical inspector who was here inspecting other stuff and just happened to ask if the dish was grounded so I told him.

Little trick for pushing a big rod into the ground:
Just dig a "bowl" about a foot and a half across and about a foot deep. Fill it with water. Put your grounding rod in there and push. As long as you don't hit any big rocks or tree roots, you can usually push them pretty far. I got mine half way in doing this. Then I stuck a big hammer drill on it (do NOT tighten the chuck) and let the hammer drill pound it in. Basically vibrated it in. It still took a while but was a lot easier than pounding it. Oh and keep adding water if that bowl gets empty.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Way more coaxes than needed? I ran 5 so there would be a spare. Are you suggesting that there is a way to use a SWM LNB and connect that to a multiswitch that converts signals to boxes that do not support SWM? (or something like this)

The ground rod I used was the same grounding point for the AC feeder. The entrance bridge with the 4 coaxes is bonded directly to it (and right next to it).

I know that the wood post may be an issue again at some point in time. 18 months after I installed it, I had to re-plumb the mast because the wood warped a little. 6 years latter, the mast is still plumb. Good suggestion for covering it.

Yes,
I was thinking of the SWM solution, but as you correctly state...the older boxes have to go. Then you would have plenty of cables. I think if you have the protection plan they will upgrade the older boxes to fix this...don't know this for sure.

As an installer I have not had to deal with cut underground with Directv much. With CATV / cable TV it is more common.

Your ground point seems correct IF it is not a second rod for the dish. It is the second rod (s) that get back bonded. I think the AC could be grounded within the house ground system but NOT the outdoor unit (OU) Directv dish.The OU gets grounded to the main bond near the point of enterance.

Another thing that many come up with your wood pole...first, it probably will not continue to warp much past the point you have reached. Should you need to reset it the concrete holding the wood is a minor problem. The concrete does not bond completely or permanently with the wood and water eventually loosens the pole, especially after many freeze / thaw cycles. The cure is to break the concrete...plumb the post......and beat the broken concrete pieces into the soil & wood post........add more crushed stone, beating same until tight. Crushed stone works better than concrete with wood poles. A concrete / mortar cap above the crushed stone can't hurt but should be caulked.

Joe