I had E* installed yesterday and the Coax is running through my ridge vent on my roof (my choice, I had new RG6 ran to the attic for this purpose) and straight into my 622. Since the grounding block for the cable is down on the ground, he could not ground the Satellite to that. He said if I get a surge protector that has a digital coax protection built in and installed this prior to the coax entering the 622 that I would be fine. Is this true? Will that be sufficient for grounding? Are the conditioneer/surge protectors the same? The cheaper AR ones that are about $30?
Grounding?? - Want to make sure installer told me correctly
- Thread starter the4lams
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Don't believe so. Grounding should take place at the point of building entry. You could install a grounding block at your ridge vent, running the ground wire down from it to your cable ground. The idea is to drain off static charges or divert lightning before entering the building.
the4lams said:
No this does not meet DNS standards, aka straight shooting. The install would automatically fail QAS.
The installer may have something with the surge protector in theory, who knows.
Off the top of my head:
Ground block inside within 3feet of POE #10 AWG to grounding source (House braid, cold water pipe, electric meter, etc)
Ground block outside - #10 AWG cannot exceed 80 feet to ground block from ground source.
One connection only, ie you cant use an existing split bolt on a ground braid and share it with the telco - one connecting device to #10 wire only. This rule applies elsewhere at all connections.
-On a dish you must install a ground lug utilizing #17AWG messenger wire - one end to the ground block one to the dish.
-Dish to dish - #10 AWG (recent change) in between both dishes.
-You cannot use dissimilar metals - ie on a galvanized pole mount you cannot have a copper ground strap.
-Utility gas pipes are not an approved ground source.
-Water spickets - the ground strap must be on the cold water pipe itself, NOT the spicket.
You must utilize the first approved grounding source available. No sharp bends in wire. Utilize shortest path possible.
--
Possibily in your case I'd tuck a #10 wire in the j-channel on up close enough to the dish I could, keep in mind I never physically seen your particular location. But more or less there is always a ground available.
SBC/ATT has slightly different grounding standards then DNS itself.
Apartments Good luck.
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Looking over this thread briefly, it seems that the way my dishes were grounded may be incorrect? The ground wire is bundled with the coax from the dishs, and is actually just screwed to the dpp44 switch. The switch is mounted to a ceter support wall in the basement, and the only grounding the switch has, is the ground on the electrical plug itself.
Is that upto par, or is that not a valid grounding job?
Thanks!
Is that upto par, or is that not a valid grounding job?
Thanks!
codee said:
To my understanding, keep in mind I'm not QAS...
No this is a automatic fail per DNSC standards. NO switch is to be used as a grounding point, keep in mind if the switch like a 34 of 44 is not mounted, that's pretty much a automatic fail. I see quite a few 44's and 34's that are just thrown in place pretty much.
Assuming you are picking up 4 orbital locations with the DPP44...
It's like this - the dish must be grounded with the 17AWG messenger wire, near the point of entry to the house you must have a ground block in which the messenger wire goes into the ground block, in your case you should have two ground blocks so you can run 4 of your coax runs from the dish(s) into the ground block direct to your switch.
The ground blocks can be mounted exterior or interior, I personally prefer interior just so that mother nature doesn't come and mess with the connection.
At the ground block you are required to use #10 AWG to a approved grounding source (as mentioned in my prior post).
On edit: keep in mind I don't know when your system was installed, the point is things may have changed since the install was done, so if that method was done years ago (I highly doubt since you have a DPP44) it would more or less be grandfathered in, if that was okay to do that back then.
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rcdallas said:
i personally disagree on that one... i dont remember what the regs on that says, but I dont remember the messenger being an acceptable ground for anything.
And also, the way I see it, if dish wanted me to ground the dish itself, they would have included a grounding screw on the dish or mast.
If the dish took a direct hit from lightening, the messenger wouldnt help at all. Electricity takes the least path or resistance, and if a dish got hit, the electricity would travel down the braid of the coax.
And i know someone is going to say something about the coax isn't actually pyhsically touching the dish itself, but that much power would arc and use the far heavier coax braiding before a 17gauge messenger.....
again, just me opinions
birddoggy said:i personally disagree on that one... i dont remember what the regs on that says, but I dont remember the messenger being an acceptable ground for anything.
And also, the way I see it, if dish wanted me to ground the dish itself, they would have included a grounding screw on the dish or mast.
If the dish took a direct hit from lightening, the messenger wouldnt help at all. Electricity takes the least path or resistance, and if a dish got hit, the electricity would travel down the braid of the coax.
And i know someone is going to say something about the coax isn't actually pyhsically touching the dish itself, but that much power would arc and use the far heavier coax braiding before a 17gauge messenger.....
again, just me opinions
Actually I totally agree with you, messenger wire is pretty darn small for a ground, especially for lightning with who knows how much current. I can see for static buildup on windy days.
For my ham setup, I used 2/0 for the tripods... and used in-line shunt-type surge protecters on the coax. Still I don't think thats enough for lightning protection.
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rcdallas said:
Short of standing in your yard holding up a golf club, is anything enough for lightning?
(and should it be a graphite club or metal?)No kidding, once my satellite buy back promtion ends with Mediacom, I would love to return to E*, but the whole issue of not having the dish grounded, made my wife & I leave E*
In order to make a long story short, see here: http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=42041
In order to make a long story short, see here: http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=42041
Kirby Baker said:Short of standing in your yard holding up a golf club, is anything enough for lightning?
OK,
Grounding the dish has nothing to do with carrying the current of lightening. The grounding of the dish is to disipate static charges that build up on a dish. These static charges can attract lightening though. That is why they are grounded.
If a dish is hit by lightening the current will smoke anything connected to it. If we were concened with handeling the current from a strike you would see the type of wire used on lightening rods connected to a dish.
Grounding the dish has nothing to do with carrying the current of lightening. The grounding of the dish is to disipate static charges that build up on a dish. These static charges can attract lightening though. That is why they are grounded.
If a dish is hit by lightening the current will smoke anything connected to it. If we were concened with handeling the current from a strike you would see the type of wire used on lightening rods connected to a dish.
But if you stand in the yard holding a golf club higher than the dish, no need for that thick grounding
Seriously though, I agree, nothing really can help with lightning strikes. What was the rating per Back to the Future, 1.21 gigawatts? Whatever it is, I dont think there exists anything that can stop a direct strike from frying things. Grounding of dishes and such is just for static and shock protection from the way I understand it.
Seriously though, I agree, nothing really can help with lightning strikes. What was the rating per Back to the Future, 1.21 gigawatts? Whatever it is, I dont think there exists anything that can stop a direct strike from frying things. Grounding of dishes and such is just for static and shock protection from the way I understand it.
