[TowerTalk] Question About Safety Routing of Wires?

Phil Clements philk5pc@tyler.net
Sat, 2 Oct 1999 21:23:37 -0500


David,
I just completed the construction of a new shack/shop
here.

My suggestion is to make a wise investment and get the
Polyphaser book. I did that, and did what they illustrated
and then used all their products for grounding and protection.

Nothing is foolproof with Mother Nature involved, but this
is sound engineering practice and good advice in the book.

Some comedian said all you have to do is hang a 1-iron
(golf club) above your ham shack to protect your building
and equipment, because even God cannot hit a 1-iron!

GL!
Phil, K5PC

----- Original Message -----
From: DavidC <eDoc@netzero.net>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 02, 1999 8:54 PM
Subject: [TowerTalk] Question About Safety Routing of Wires?


>
> I have uncovered all of the cables coming in and out of our new
> home here in Florida ... at least I hope so!
>
> I need some advice as to where to go from here with the
> placement of the antenna cable entry point and the possible
> need to move some existing cables.
>
> Street
> Pole                       Pole 1                   Pole 2
>   ( )--------------------------( )---------------------------( )
>                                 |                             | |
>                                 \ ______                 | |
>                                             \                | |
>                                   --------\   \              | |
>                                   --------\ \   \            | |
>                                            \  \   \          | |
>                                              \  \   \        | |
>                                                \  \   \      | |
>                                                  \  \   \    | |
>            .........................|             |  |   |    | |
> |-------------------------------------|
>                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>                                    W      SP SE P  E C
> E2
>                             (This is the section of the house where the
> shack is.)
>
> W= The Power line to the Well.  (It comes down from the attic into the shack
>        and then exits the wall about 4 feet above the ground.  It is buried
> 12 inches
>        underground for the 40 feet out to the well.  It is not in PVC or
> anything.)
> SP= A Telephone line to the Shed.  (Also drops from the attic but stays
> inside
>        the shack down to the floor level, then exits and drops about 8"
> below ground
>        and runs in pvc for 40 feet to the shed.
> SE= A Electric line to the Shed.  (Also drops from the attic but is inside
>        the shack to the floor level, then exits and drops about 8" below
> ground
>        and runs in pvc to the shed.
> E= Electric line.  Runs in the air from Pole 2 to a pipe on the roof and
> then
>       into the attic.  The box is grounded with a single rod that almost
> touches
>       the foundation/slab and goes straight down.
> P= Phone line.  Runs from Pole 1 underground (unprotected and shallow)
>      around the shed and up the side of the house into the Phone Co's box.
>      Their box is grounded to the same rod as the Electric Co.
> E2= 220V Electric line.  Exits to outside at base of shack wall below the
>        breaker panel and drops underground about 8".  Runs parallel to house
>        and rises at rear screen room where a SPA had been.
> C= CATV line.  Runs in the air from Pole 2 to a pipe on the roof and then
>       into the attic.  It then exits at ceiling level and runs 15 feet along
> the
>       side of the house and drops to 5 feet above the ground into their box.
>       Then another cable exits the box, goes up the side of the house and
>       enters the attic.  It is grounded with a wire clamped to an outside
>       faucet.
>
> QUESTIONS:
>
> 1.  I intend to remove the shed because it is wood, the sills are bad,
>      and because it sits on blocks where beasties and termites live and
> feed.
>      Should I eliminate the phone line there as a possible source of
>      circulating currents from lightning?  I have no need for a phone
>      in the shed.  (This is the line labeled "SP" in the diagram.)
>
> 2.  I am thinking of disconnecting the Well line and using the PVC-protected
>      line that runs to the shed instead.  Is the path of the SE line
> preferable to
>      that of the W line (esp. the way they are routed differently inside of
> the house)?
>
> 3.  Should I eliminate the E2 line since it is no longer needed for a SPA
>      and looks like trouble?
>
> 4.  Should I do something about the CATV line?  We have no plans to
>      activate it and I have a thought of asking them to terminate it back at
>      Pole 2.  Otherwise I am thinking I should relocate their box next to
>      the Phone Co. box and ground it to the same rod as the Phone Co.
>      and Electric Co.
>
> 5.  The Phone & Electric ground rod runs straight down next to the
>      foundation.  Should I add several others at angles away from the
>      foundation?  Should I relocate the existing rod also at an angle?
>
> 6.  My plan is to place a shared entry and grounding panel next to
>      the ground rod on the outside wall which is just below the breaker
>      panel.  This way I can route my antenna and rotor lines through
>      it using Polyphaser devices.  Do I need to do something different
>      with the Electric, CATV and Phone Co. lines?  (Do they also need
>      to pass through that grounding panel?)
>
> Thanks in advance for any assistance!  Hope I was clearer than mud!
>
> 73, DavidC  K1YP
>
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