Dave, I believe you would get the opposite answer from a qualified electrician or your county inspector. Maybe one with the proper credentials will answer on this list.
73, Don W3FPR On 3/29/2011 12:20 PM, Dave, W8OV wrote: > These posts on lightning protection served to get me considering my > shack, etc. I had solar panels installed last summer, and on the side > of the house opposite the electrical entrance panel the installers ran a > wire from the PV panels, inverters, etc., down to a ground rod they put > in. So I asked them yesterday if there was any bonding of that rod to > the ground on the entrance panel side of the house. The response was > "They are not bonded. That ground rod is not a system ground and does > not need to be bonded to the existing grounding system. It is purely > for lightning protection." > > --Dave, W8OV > > On 3/29/2011 8:23 AM, Don Wilhelm wrote: >> Phil, >> >> Despite disconnecting your antennas, you still have to consider that the >> coax shields enter the house. >> >> Yes, ground rod #2 (and #3 and all others) are to be bonded to the AC >> Electrical Entry ground rod. >> >> I am not sure why that is counterintuitive to you. Yes, there is a very >> real possibility that a lightning surge will be induced in the house >> wiring with or without the connection between the grounds. But if there >> is a lightning surge on either the antennas or the house wiring, you >> want to keep both at the same potential. >> >> Keeping everything at the same potential during a lightning surge event >> is what the bonding is all about. >> >> A lightning surge traveling through the earth can create a very large >> difference in potential between ground rods that are not connected >> together, and that potential difference can cause fires and damage. The >> soil has more resistance than a wire between the ground rods. >> >> Look at the 2010 (or 2011) ARRL Handbook chapter on Safety - the fact >> that ALL ground rods should be connected together is clearly stated. >> >> One other point on disconnecting your antennas - consider what happens >> when you re-connect them. The PL-259 center conductor is connected >> first, and then the shell is attached. If there is a charge on the coax >> center conductor, you can zap your equipment by the simple act of >> re-connecting it. Short the center conductor to the grounded shell >> before connecting it to your equipment. It is better to disconnect the >> antennas with a switch in the coax line and provide a DC path to ground >> across the common coax connector at that switch. >> >> 73, >> Don W3FPR >> >> On 3/29/2011 1:12 AM, Phil Townsend wrote: >>> I have beat into the dirt another 8' foot ground rod(G.R. #2) next to the >>> outside coax switch >>> and have installed a Poly Phasor on the output coax that goes into the >>> shack and poly phasors on each of the coax cables from the antennas. >>> All the poly phasor's ground lugs are connected to ground rod #2. (Each >>> Poly phasor has its own wire going to ground rod #2) >>> >>> This remote coax switch and ground rod #2 are about 12 feet from the AC >>> mains. >>> >>> If I understand correctly, I should also bond this ground rod #2 to the the >>> AC mains ground rod as well???? >>> >>> But if I do that then those antennas will be connected to the grounds in >>> the house via the AC mains ground rod????? >>> This seems counterintuitive? I mean... now there will be the very real >>> possibility of lightning in the house wiring??? >>> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >> Post: mailto:[email protected] >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html >> > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
