[TowerTalk] Entry Panel in Wall or External to Building?

[Joe]

Interesting question, Doc.  I was going to pose exactly that this morning, 
but you beat me to it.  I have a single point ground panel (thick copper 
plate) populated with various ICE arrestors, and was going to mount it 
under the house in the crawl space.  My ground rod is just outside the 
house and my cables enter the house just a few inches away.

What got me thinking about the wisdom of that option is that lightning 
probably doesn't like to reverse direction and go back out of the house to 
the ground rod.  I can install a shortened ground rod in the crawl space as 
well, but have yet to do that.

As a result, I'm now thinking it best to put the SPGP outside the house 
next to the ground rod so that lightning:

1)  doesn't enter the house;
2)  has a shorter path to ground; and
3)  doesn't have to reverse course a couple of feet to find the ground rod.

I too would like to hear from the TT wizards on their recommendations on 
how to best protect the equipment and the house.

73,
Joe
WDØM


At 08:29 AM 7/5/2004, doc wrote:
> From a thread on a different topic I viewed this picture
>http://www.dutson.net/Ham/P6060006.jpg   and it prompted
>a question.
>
>It is best to mount the Polyphaser/ICE/whatever lightning
>protection panel in the wall or window of the building
>or in a panel/box that stands apart from the building?
>
>I have been planning a box on a steel post a few feet from
>the outer wall and to then feed the cables through a length
>of 4" pvc into the radio room.
>
>What is the greater risk?
>
>1.  The discharge through the multiple Polyphasers to
>ground when mounted in the wall or window bringing a
>heavy charge into the shell of the building?  (Note:
>in my case the building is steel.)
>
>2.  Energy reentering the cables between a freestanding
>grounding panel between it and the house?  (Note:  Does
>the fact that my building is steel represent a mitigating
>factor, tending to siphon-off energy to ground.)
>
>Thanks! & 73, doc kd4e