[TenTec] Another grounding question

Eric F. Richards efricha at dimensional.com
Mon Aug 11 14:16:58 EDT 2003


At 11:37 AM 8/11/2003 -0600, you wrote:
>What is the thinking on grounding the tower ground to the ground coming 
>into the house at the power, 220 service entrance?  Tie them together or 
>not?  Ed

Yes, for two reasons:
1) It prevents a ground differential from destroying equipment at either end
2) It is in the NEC.

Only two weeks ago a friend of my brother lost $2000 in data comm gear at a
tower and in his house because they had independent grounding systems.  The
tower system was poor but the house had a ring around it.  But the
differential between the tower and the house (a tree near the tower was hit)
was sufficient to obliterate all the RF and power gear in the tower, and
the 120VAC running to the tower.  The data link from the tower to house
was fibre and survived.

Use a ring of heavy strap -- copper flashing, for example.

Use radials away from the ring.

Bond the ring to your mains safety ground and to your existing RF ground.

-- 
Eric F. Richards
efricha at dimensional.com
"The weird part is that I can feel productive even when I'm doomed."



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