[Towertalk] bulkhead ground system

[K7LXC@aol.com]

In a message dated 7/23/02 6:39:28 PM Pacific Daylight Time, swca@swbell.net 
writes:

> And so I am thinking it would be wise to also ask: I was going to bolt MY
>  copper bulkhead to the side of my metal building, but run the low impedance
>  copper ground straight down to the earth from the bulkhead.  Am I actually
>  supposed to keep the metal builing insulated from the SPG?

    You're supposed to keep any lightning transients from arcing to something 
else where you have a potential difference - everything should rise and fall 
at the same rate. 

    Lightning transients are insidious - you can't alway predict where it'll 
go and what it'll do - so you need to control it as best you can. That's what 
the SPGS will provide - a safe, predictable path to ground. 

    Your metal panels are probably going to arc and be damaged so then you'll 
have an insurance claim for them down the road. The same for your interior 
building wiring lurking behind the metal panels. Wouldn't it be easier to 
control it in an accepted and reliable way? 
>  
>  Bosh I say.  But what do I know?  

    I don't know. 

>I still just disconnect everything when I am not using the station.

    A technique useful for protecting the gear but it doesn't provide any 
harmless path to ground for transients. The WHOLE PURPOSE for a SPGS is to 
keep those transients out of your building. And off the building in this case.

Cheers,
Steve    K7LXC
TOWER TECH