RG6 cable
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RG6 for HD definitely. The smallercopper wire is a groundwire to ground the dish to your grounding source. On old cable wire it was used to help support the wire between the incoming pole and the house.
Thanks bluegrass. I did not word that right. I know I need RG6 cable but wasen't sure about the ground wire on the cable. Yes I will be driving in a ground rod for the dish. So all I need is the standard RG6 cable without the ground wire or supporting wire?
You don't want to drive a rod into the ground separate from the ground for the electrical entrance. You want to tie the dish and coax with a ground block to the main entrance ground. Check with a licensed electrician. There's good advice on this subject on D* own forums.
Dana
Its called RG6 (or whatever type you get) with messenger. Here is a photo of the dual RG6 w/messenger.
Attachments
A better ground point is the water main. Most codes say you must connect within 5 feet of where it comes into the house.
Provided the water main is metal and not plastic piping. Here is D*'s list of acceptable grounding points in order of preference:
1) #4 or #6 Ground wire from meter box to electrical services ground using split bolt
2) Electrical services ground rod
3) The panel box or breaker box ground lug
4) Metal conduit on the customer side (bottom) of the power meter using ground strap
5) The grounded metal Frame of a building or trailer
6) Metal service conduit after ensuring continuity all the way back to the house ground
7) A grounded metal cold water pipe that passes the volt ohm test
You can run a separate ground wire from the dish to a suitable ground source if you don't have the coax with the messenger wire. Not the preferred method but it does work. More for static discharge than anything but it does help. Lightning does weird things. Went to a SC about 2 months ago, 18" round ODU took a direct hit, i mean it blew a baseball size hole right through the reflector, cooked one side of the dual line, cooked the 3x4 switch, switch was ground to something in the crawlspace I forget what. Now check this: Every reciever in the house survived, as did the LNB, and blew one TV up. I was like w...t...f... LOL ^^
Ahh the power of nature.
Path of least resistance. It’s amazing the stories you here about lighting strikes. When I was younger I had a cb base antenna that was hit at the top and it peeled it like a banana. I had the coax discontented and laying outside on a fence that went from our house to our neighbors. It followed the fence and blew a hole in my neighbor’s electrical box.
Then you know that this subject is not to be taken lightly. More info here Grounding Satellite Dish and Lead-In Cables
The National Electric Code has been further updated on this subject since the 2003 copyright date on the linked page.
Dana
Never have taking it lightly. Another question I have is I have seen people mount there poles in the middle of there yard. How are they grounding them? Mine won’t be mounted near the service entrance. My service entrance is around the corner which is about 25 to 30 feet away. It will be mounted along my family rooms southern wall. My family room is on a crawl space in which I have good access too. How would I approach a ground under this situation?
What's underneath the crawl? Copper pipes? metal/wood frame? Anything that could be grounded to? At one time they allowed us to ground to an air-conditioning unit frame. But they changed that because the frames aren't always backbonded to the house ground.
When people mount their dish in the yard, most of the time an installer has done it and has used the RG6 Dual w/ground. We're required to ground it. Part of our job when we pull up on a house is to do a site survey with the customer, going over mounting options, grounding points, entrance points etc etc. My optimum install for me personally, if I can enter the house through a basement wall through the sill or bandboard, near the electrial breaker panel if it all possible then put my ground-block right next to it and ground right to the house ground coming off the top of the panel with a split bolt. They want us to put our ground-block outside, but the way I see it, the less exposed connections you have, the better off you'll be in the long run. I tell my sup this, and as long as he knows exactly what I've done when he goes to QC me he won't fail me on that job.
Quick question, why are you wanting to do all this on your own?
When people mount their dish in the yard, most of the time an installer has done it and has used the RG6 Dual w/ground. We're required to ground it. Part of our job when we pull up on a house is to do a site survey with the customer, going over mounting options, grounding points, entrance points etc etc. My optimum install for me personally, if I can enter the house through a basement wall through the sill or bandboard, near the electrial breaker panel if it all possible then put my ground-block right next to it and ground right to the house ground coming off the top of the panel with a split bolt. They want us to put our ground-block outside, but the way I see it, the less exposed connections you have, the better off you'll be in the long run. I tell my sup this, and as long as he knows exactly what I've done when he goes to QC me he won't fail me on that job.
Quick question, why are you wanting to do all this on your own?
I only have wood joist under my crawl space and one light fixture. I am 6’3 and am able to walk in there but I have to be bent over. I am one who likes to do my own work and with this project it is well in my capabilities. I have done a lot of electrical work to code myself. Its like the roll of the dice to get a good installer who cares about his/her work as I can tell you do. I’m in the automotive line of work and its like trying to find a good mechanic you can trust. They’re a lot of good ones and bad ones. Heck just think when the installer shows up he will have a big smile on his face
I also want the cable buried in conduit.
I also want the cable buried in conduit.
Just out of curiousity, erict... when IS your install scheduled? I happen to be a technician for the local HSP here in Erie, and after following your previous post (about the 2" pole...) and now this one, I'm kinda hoping that I'M the one that rolls out there!! Is this a new installation, or are you upgrading your current service with D*?
Oops! Forgive me.... I do think I may have you confused with another member posting on here Good luck with your installation regardless!! I'm sure you'll make some lucky technician VERY happy!!
Good luck with your installation regardless!! I'm sure you'll make some lucky technician VERY happy!!
I believe they use standard shield RG-6...although I have been known to use quad shield when necessary.
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