Ground Wire

[USC2DWR]

Hello,

Can I connect a ground wire from a lightning suppressor to the comm equipment ground.I understand that ground for communication system is same as other grounds but this ground i'm installing is for lightening protection.

Also does the wire need to be in conduit or could it be bare?

 

[petersonra]

Hello,

Can I connect a ground wire from a lightning suppressor to the comm equipment ground.I understand that ground for communication system is same as other grounds but this ground i'm installing is for lightening protection.

Also does the wire need to be in conduit or could it be bare?

What do you mean by "lightning suppressor"? Usually they come with very specific instructions on how they are to be installed and wired.

 

[USC2DWR]

What do you mean by "lightning suppressor"? Usually they come with very specific instructions on how they are to be installed and wired.

My communication equipment goes to gps antenna through a lightning suppressor .This suppressor has to be connected to ground.The comm wire is RG-58 coax.

Regards

 

[petersonra]

My communication equipment goes to gps antenna through a lightning suppressor .This suppressor has to be connected to ground.The comm wire is RG-58 coax.

Regards

i think it should probably be connected to the intersystem bonding terminal. do the instructions not specify?

 

[USC2DWR]

i think it should probably be connected to the intersystem bonding terminal. do the instructions not specify?

Thanks Bob for the help.I think I figured it out.I am going to connect to a separate ground outside the building.The reason I dont want to ground the suppressor at the communication equipment ground is to protect its circuit from high overvoltage. This might damage the equipment.

And I am going to keep the wire bare.pulling it through metallic conduit might induce voltage in it.And in non metallic conduit it might just melt it.

 

[petersonra]

Thanks Bob for the help.I think I figured it out.I am going to connect to a separate ground outside the building.The reason I dont want to ground the suppressor at the communication equipment ground is to protect its circuit from high overvoltage. This might damage the equipment.

And I am going to keep the wire bare.pulling it through metallic conduit might induce voltage in it.And in non metallic conduit it might just melt it.

What do you mean by a separate ground? all of your grounding electrodes have to be bonded together.

I would not worry about the NM conduit melting. if there is enough heat to melt the NM conduit, the wire is likely going to be damaged anyway.

I am not 100% sure but there may be a minimum size wire that is required if you want to run it without some kind of physical protection.

 

[roger]

I am closing this thread in accordance with forum rules.

USC2DWR, although you are an engineering student this work is best left for an EC or LV contractor.

Roger

 

[tom baker]

.I am going to connect to a separate ground outside the building..

Thats a code violation and dangerous practice.
Rules for antenna grounding are in Art 810 and coax in Art 320. What is very important is to have a single point ground.
I bond the antenna IS to a a conductor going outside to a ground rod. That ground rod is bonded at one point to the building electrial grounding sytem. (intersystem bond - thats a requirement that started with the 2008 NEC) With out the intersystem bond, in a lighting event the two systems will be at different potential, ohms law tells us there will be current flow, that typicall is thru your radio.