[TowerTalk] My situation: Is lightning protection needed?

[Mickey Baker]

Hi, Art, (and all),

CAT5 buried in conduit would seem to solve this issue, but in won't because
of a potential difference in a lightning event from building to building.
Even some of the "good" protection blocks might not protect a low voltage
device (like an Ethernet switch) from damage. They're pretty fragile.

If you do copper wire, put a cheap switch as the "landing" device on both
ends - prepare to replace them both, they should be considered sacrificial.

For short hops like this, I typically use WIFI. A poor man's WIFI router
system can be made with a couple of el-cheapo routers running DD-WRT and a
gain wifi antenna on one or both ends. I like this one - sturdy, effective
and cheap:
http://www.amazon.com/TL-ANT2424B-Directional-Parabolic-connector-resistant/dp/B003CFATOW/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1373472046&sr=1-6&keywords=wifi+antenna

73,

Mickey N4MB





On Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 8:29 AM, Art Greenberg <art at artg.tv> wrote:

> The discussion about protecting networked computers is of interest to me
> because I have been thinking about an application here. I thought I'd start
> a new thread about my particular situation to see what others think.
>
> I have an enclosed, air conditioned barn that I'd like to put my shack in.
> The thinking is, I'd run an Ethernet cable to the house using an existing
> buried conduit (that is now empty) and run the radio equipment remotely.
> The conduit run is about 230 feet. I figure a total run of 300 feet or so
> to connect a switch in the barn to a switch in the house. Our Internet
> service comes into the house.
>
> The barn has its own electric service. There is a shunt-mode "whole house"
> surge arrestor installed in the load center. The service feeder to the barn
> and the service feeder to the house come from completely different
> directions. Both are above ground until they get close.
>
> The antenna transmission lines to the barn would all be run through an
> entrance panel with lightning arrestors, bonded to the barn's service
> ground. All of the radio equipment would be grounded to the entrance panel
> ground. The radio equipment would be very close to the load center.
>
> If I can get a reliable gigabit network running between the barn and the
> house, I could put some of my other computer equipment in the barn as well.
>
> I'm in Florida, near Gainesville. Lots of lighthing, particularly during
> summer.
>
> Long prologue. Now the question.
>
> I think its obvious that fiber would provide complete isolation between
> the buildings. But would a copper cable (Cat5e, Cat6) with lightning
> arrestors at each end be good enough? What strike scenarios would be
> problematic?
>
> Thanks all.
>
> --
> Art Greenberg
> WA2LLN
> art at artg.tv
>
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-- 
Mickey Baker, N4MB
Fort Lauderdale, FL
*“Tell me, and I will listen. Show me, and I will understand. Involve me,
and I will learn.” *Teton Lakota, American Indian Saying.