Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] grounding

Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] grounding
From: Mahlon Haunschild <mahlonhaunschild@cox.net>
Reply-to: mahlonhaunschild@cox.net
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2004 21:45:49 -0600
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
"Neutral" is also bonded to the power distribution neutral feeder and a ground rod/wire of some sort at each service pole, so it's probably more difficult for the transformer secondary neutral to float than it appears.

regards,

Mahlon - K4OQ

Eric Scace K3NA wrote:

Pardon me, but I'm a little slow at this.

   Isn't it true that, at the pole/pad transformer, your house's neutral is 
derived from the transformer's center tap and tied to
earth ground?

   If that is correct, then is it a correct understanding of your message that 
you are concerned about a surge on the electric
utility's earth conductor which is not fully earthed at the transformer 
neutral... and continues on to your local ground?

   And if that is a correct understanding, then wouldn't the induced current on 
the other lines be a common mode current?  In that
case all four lines (ground, neutral, +120 and -120) rise together, so the 
differential voltages between neutral and +120/-120
should be rather small?  Wouldn't the surge protector at the common point of 
entry into the house divert this to the excellent local
earth ground at the single point of entrance?  (Isn't that what the surge 
protector is for?)

-- Eric K3NA

-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Glenn Noska
Sent: 2004 January 19 20:45
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Cc: nazgul34@hotmail.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] grounding


i'm an electrician in the surge capital of the world, Orlando ( did lightning just hit that house?), Florida. the last three days were spent devouring old towertalk threads on grounding, super informative! well, surge protectors are pretty useless without a good ground and armed with towertalk knowledge i was ready to give my customer's the best ground their money could buy. then, a really sharp engineer at Intermatic dropped this little bombshell. if your ground is a lot better than the utility's ground at the transformer then all the neighborhood's surges are coming for a visit. and you might think they're just coming to your ground, but, as they travel the common they induce surges in the two hots. So, you may have dodged the big surge, and bought yourself a whole lot of little ones. is this significant? do i need to put a big horkin MOV on the neutral to the meter that'll add a couple dozen ohms and keep the neighborhood's surges out? is there such a thing? all kidding aside, i'm guaranteeing all appliances and electronics to $10,000.00 or the homeowner's deductable (installing Intermatic IG1300-4T-2C). please help.


_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>