In the United States, with very few exceptions, the National Electrical Code applies everywhere. It requires proper antenna grounding, as well as overvoltage and overcurrent protection for outside plant (OSP) cable systems. In addition, there are specific requirements for OSP Building Entrance Protection, including the installation and use of proper grounding and surge protection equipment. Most building codes require a UL-approved primary protector (UL 497) at the building cable entrance. Some states and localities may have more stringent requirements, but very few have less stringent ones. These codes are in place for two reasons, personal injury protection and property protection.
Ask any experienced fireman about these topics. I'm quite sure you will hear some harrowing stories. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Austin H" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2003 11:00 AM Subject: RE: [smartBridges] Outdoor PoE Poll > What it really becomes, is a question of absolute liability. Sure, you might > see lightning once every three years. Sure, the chances are one in a million > that one of your customers will take a hit. The only absolute, in said > situation, is that in the case of someones house burning down (etc etc etc), > you _will_ be held liable. Seventy-five dollars an install... or 75million > dollars in liability insurance. Brutal judgement call. =\ > > In addition, lightning protection is not the only factor to consider, an > external system should always be grounded (in a lot of places it's the law). > > Now on the installers side, sometimes it is bloody impossible to reach a > ground within a reasonable distance from the contact point or antenna. You > need LOS, LOS is on the ne corner of the 22,000 square foot home, ground is > on the sw corner... crap. In some areas the laws in place would make this > install an impossibility. Some would say drive a copper ground rod 8ft into > the ground and tie into that (not recommended, mostly ineffctive). No super > effective way to do that. Bummer. I feel your pain. =\ > > Austin > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of The Wirefree Network > Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2003 12:23 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [smartBridges] Outdoor PoE Poll > > > I have a question for y'all. > > I can wait to get a hold of a few of these outdoor PoE units for my aPPo's. > They are on BIGO METAL TOWERS, which are prone to lightning strikes (if we > had any) and when hit take out all clients (not just one). > > However, I am in NO hurry to get them in place on my customer installs. > > I know...I know...plenty of you will be saying, "what if it takes a > lightning hit and burns the house down". > > But truthfully...how many of you are really going to install them?? > > It is hard enough to find a suitable location for an antenna....then run the > cable all the way around the house to the room where the PC's are. Now...I > am supposed to run the cable to the location where their earth ground is, > then run more cable from there all the way to the computer room. That will > easily double the amount of cable run per install. > > And don't even say you are going to pound in your own ground stake...cause > you wont! I will at my towers...but not in a client's yard with water > lines, gas lines, sewer lines, etc. NO WAY! Not to mention the time > involved. > > Recap: to use an outdoor PoE it will extend my average install time from 2 > hours to 3 hours (not including putting in my own ground stake)...driving > the cost per install up by $50-75 per install. > > I don't know...I just don't think it is worth it. But then again...I live > in an area where I have only seen lightning (way up in the clouds) once in > the 1.5 years I have been here. > > Sully The PART-15.ORG smartBridges Discussion List To Join: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (in the body type subscribe smartBridges <yournickname> To Remove: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] (in the body type unsubscribe smartBridges) Archives: http://archives.part-15.org
