Lightning Basics

[TJCCTV 0]

I'll gladly take the dummy of the week award for this one, but I'm not too proud to ask a dumb question.

 

The way I'm getting it, there are two totally opposing views of how to deal with lightning.

 

Deals with outdoor cameras:

 

PLAN A

1. Wood Pole Mounted: Ground the camera to the grounding conductor running down the pole.

 

2. Metal Building Mounted: Ground the camera's mount TO the building.

 

*** OR ***

 

PLAN B

1. Wood Pole Mounted: DON'T ground the camera mount to the grounding

conductor of the pole.

 

2. Metal Building Mounted: INSULATE the camera mount FROM the building by installing onto a wood block or plastic box.

 

Which is the CORRECT pair of methods?

 

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I realize that lightning can randomly go wherever it chooses, but looking to improve the odds even if only slightly. Also that the question is probably the most basic (Lightning 101) that you have ever seen.

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Planning on Cat5e with surge baluns (passive/passive) and as needed will use passive/active.

 

For those who respond - hope you remember that once upon a time, long long ago, you didn't know the answer either.

 

Any help and patience is greatly appreciated.

TJ

[rory 0]

if you mount it on metal you might get a ground issue anyway, lines etc, so you might need to put a piece of plastic between it and the metal building.

 

then ground it somewhere else if you must. I dont live in tornado alley though so typically i wont worry about lighting, if it happens then it must be for a reason .. crappy camera or something LOL. just kidding but ...

[scorpion 0]

I would say "do not ground the camera".

 

I would say have an alternate system such as a lighting rod, and wired to ground.

 

 

In florida to protect people they have telephone poles with a wire strung in between over head. The idea being that the lighting will strike the wire protecting the people.

 

 

http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_lhm/magic.pdf

 

 

The principles of traditional lightning protection are basic — 1) provide preferential strikes point for lightning

(an array of conductors higher than the objects being protected), a good grounding system, and conductors

between the two to conduct the damaging current from a lightning discharge away from the structure to

be protected; and 2) provide appropriate transient protection on power and signal wires entering the structure

to protect equipment and personnel from the effects of induced lightning currents. What does it take

to provide complete protection from lightning? It requires a means to ensure that the currents from a direct

strike cannot enter the structure, and electrical transients induced from lightning are prevented from getting

into the structure. To prevent the currents from a direct lightning strike from entering Kiva II, it was constructed

of 1/4â€

[VST_Man 1]

I just lost some equipment to lighting........first time in a long time, but, the lighting came in on the Embarq line and took out the moden, router, and PC based DVR. Poweer supply also has some wavy line issues now.but cameras survived.

 

Bottom line; protect all line inputs to your DVR and MAYBE you'll be ok. Lighting is NOT predictable and even when you take every action to protect it seems to get ya anyway.

 

I just try and replace when if happens. This is the second time I've seen it in 4 years.

 

Oh, and you need to have your grounds checked, especially if you get any close strikes. Fact is if you get a close strike your ground is most likely comprimized since lighting turns things to glass after it hits...especially in FL. My client in FL has thier gronds check now everytime and they actually found newly installed grounds that had been "glassed" and were nolonger working grounds. Visibly, it all looked great.