boatboy63 0 Posted November 3, 2009 I have a system that I installed about 6 months ago. When first installing, I was continually having problems from 1 camera that was mounted on a barn with metal siding. The barn is about 120' from the house and is framed out of steel. No matter what I did at first, I still had noise rolling up the screen which was constantly causing motion to trigger. I tried a couple different cameras and nothing made a difference. I just happened to take the camera loose and had it in my hand when my son called to tell me the video was clear. I then touched the camera against the metal siding again, and it was noisy. I ended up having to mount a short block of 2x4 to the siding and then use different screws to mount camera to block. It worked like a dream. Fast forward to a couple months ago. We had a lightening strike somewhere around our house. It hit so hard, it tripped a breaker in my electrical panel in the house. It ended up blowing 3 out of 4 power supplies for my cameras and frying 2 cameras and a dvr (insurance issue). My power supplies are simple 12v dc, 1 amp supplies that have the quick connect jack to plug into the camera. All of these ps only have 2 prongs on the plug in. They do not have a 3rd ground plug. The other day, I decided to add another camera to my system. I mounted it on a metal storage bldg in my driveway. When I did, I had forgotten all the problems I had with the barn camera and the rolling noise. After remembering, I mounted it on a wooden block and it straightened it out. I started thinking about the lightening issue and wanted some protection. I noticed the cameras have a frame ground screw on them and connected the one on this metal bldg to the ground prong on the receptacle outlet. When I did, the noise lines came back and I had to take it loose. All of these outside bldgs have a long ground rod driven into the ground and ran to the electrical panels. Power is being supplied to all them thru triplex cable that is run overhead on power poles across the property. This triplex only has 2 insulated hots and 1 bare neutral. There is not a dedicated bare ground in this cabling. It is the exact same thing used by the electric company providing power into the house. Can someone offer an idea about how I can protect my system from lightening, starting at the camera/power supply and running to my dvr? My dvr does have a ground plug on it and is now plugged into a surge surpressor. I thought it was before, but someone had bypassed it and plugged it straight into the wall. I am just desperate for a resolution before I have another lightening strike. Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Soundy 1 Posted November 3, 2009 How about a big-assed lightning rod on or near the barn, grounded somewhere away from the building, to channel the hits elsewhere? Add another one on the house if needed, too? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cglaeser 0 Posted November 3, 2009 How about a big-assed lightning rod on or near the barn, grounded somewhere away from the building, to channel the hits elsewhere? Add another one on the house if needed, too? Yes! You need a lightning rod. If your equipment is hit, it will fry. Grounding the equipment will make it that much easier for lightning to find the earth through your equipment. The only way to save your equipment from a direct hit is to take steps to ensure it does not take a direct hit. A well-placed lighting rod will dump all the energy to the earth and bypass your equipment. Also, use surge protection to ensure that a hit on the power grid somewhere down the line does not come over the grid and destroy your equipment. Best, Christopher Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vin2install 0 Posted November 3, 2009 Lightning Rod and surge protect your video and power lines on both sides of equiptment Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cglaeser 0 Posted November 3, 2009 ... and surge protect your video and power lines on both sides of equiptment Which surge protectors do you prefer? Best, Christopher Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
boatboy63 0 Posted November 4, 2009 I am sure the barn already has a ground rod. It had belonged to father-in-law and at one time, had a seperate meter connected to it. In order to pass electrical inspection, the ground rod had to be in place. The barn is all framed from 6" I-beam and is concreted into the ground too. I am going to check the ground rods on my house to be sure the connections are good. I know a couple years ago, wife was standing inside of metal storm door in kitchen when a storm was brewing. Lightening struck somewhere close by, and just the static from it was enough to knock her back several feet from the door. When it ran in on my cameras, I thought the dvr was plugged into a surge surpressor with my tv, but found it was plugged directly into the wall instead. My cable modem got fried in the same storm so I don't exactly know where the strike entered from. I was wondering how I could protect the RG-59 cables so that it can't run from 1 to another thru the cables. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Soundy 1 Posted November 4, 2009 A ground rod on the building is potentially half the problem - it makes the building an attractive (pardon the pun) target for the lighting. Once the electricity enters the building, it can fan out into anything else attached to the building. The idea is to have a separate rod (or series of rods and wires - there are specs out there for the best coverage) sticking up substantially above the building, with its own path to its own ground rod, to provide a "first strike" point for the lighting and channel it away from the building structure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cglaeser 0 Posted November 4, 2009 I am sure the barn already has a ground rod. A ground rod is not a lightning rod. A ground rod is in the ground. A lightning rod is placed high on a building or a tower or someplace high to attract the lighting and dump the energy to earth through a ground rod. In order to pass electrical inspection, the ground rod had to be in place. The ground rod and all other aspects of the buildings may be to code, but a house or barn typically does not require a lightning rod to pass inspection. I am going to check the ground rods on my house to be sure the connections are good. I know a couple years ago, wife was standing inside of metal storm door in kitchen when a storm was brewing. Lightening struck somewhere close by, and just the static from it was enough to knock her back several feet from the door. I expect the ground rods are perfectly fine. The ground rods will not protect you or your family or your equipment from a lightning strike. If anything, the ground rod makes it easier for lightning to find ground via your house. If you want protection from future strikes to your house and barn, you should install a lightning rod. When it ran in on my cameras, I thought the dvr was plugged into a surge surpressor with my tv, I think you are confused about the function of a surge protector, ground, ground rod, lightning rod, and electricity in general. I suggest you call an electrictian who is familiar with the installation of lightning rods and other devices used to protect people and property from direct hits and hits to the power grid. Hope this was helpful. Best, Christopher Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Soundy 1 Posted November 4, 2009 Lot of good info and some pictures here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_rod http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_protection_system http://science.howstuffworks.com/lightning7.htm Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
