Ethernet Surge Protector OUTDOOR INSTALLS

[rufunky]

If I'm using This do I need This?

Description states:
Instant Outdoor PoE Converter
INS-3AF-O-G
Ethernet ESD/surge protection ±15kV

 

[TonyR]

They perform 2 totally different functions: the first is a POE converter that allows you to operate a passive 24VDC POE Ubiquiti product from a 802.3af/at compliant POE source and the second protects against surges on an Ethernet cable.

I have the second one, the Ethernet Surge Protector ETH-SP-G2, installed at both ends of a 60 foot outdoor buried run to my livestreaming bluebird box. It's been in service close to 4 years IIRC.

 

[rufunky]

Thank you Tony, I wasn't sure if the POE converter eliminated the need for the separate surge protector, as it states" Ethernet ESD/surge protection ±15kV" in the description.

What do you typically ground the surge protector to?

 

[IReallyLikePizza2]

Run a nice thick copper wire up from the Intersystem Bonding Connector of your house, make sure you don't add another ground rod or you could end up causing more damage that what you are trying to solve

Make the wire as straight as possible with as few sharp bends as you can get away with

FWIW, I think those are likely a waste of money. Will they help to some degree? Probably. Will they help you if it gets struck by lightning? Probably not. If you are overly worried about lightning, I would see if you can move the location of the camera or do everything else possible to prevent the strike in the first place, rather than protecting the camera

 

[JNDATHP]

This leads me to the question: is there a POE surge protector to protect POE switches?

 

[AP514]

I have the second one, the Ethernet Surge Protector ETH-SP-G2, installed at both ends of a 60 foot outdoor buried run to my livestreaming bluebird box. It's been in service close to 4 years IIRC.

Why both ends ??

 

[IReallyLikePizza2]

Why both ends ??

Surge protectors are very low resistance, so when you get a surge the current wants to go there. The longer the wire run, the higher the resistance and the less effective the surge protector is. He probably wants to protect both the camera and the switch side

This is why you want a surge protector at your main panel as physically close to the incoming line as possible, with as short a wire as possible (If wired)

 

[luk8899]

Run a nice thick copper wire up from the Intersystem Bonding Connector of your house, make sure you don't add another ground rod or you could end up causing more damage that what you are trying to solve

No bad feelings towards the author, but I have to say this is very bad advice if there is any distance to that device. No, you do not ground the surge protector to a long cable that goes off to your house.

First, that wire will pick up a surge from nearby lightning strike. Second, it is useless as grounding because it will be far too high impedance to perform such function for the surge protector.

The first question to ask is how far is it? Is it under the house's lighting protection envelope? What is the ground conductivity in that location? Farmland? Solid rock? Salt marsh?

Without knowing that the most generic advice you can give is this:

You try to route the entrance of the PoE wire as close to your main electric cabinet/utility interconnect in the house as possible. You put your PoE surge protector there and you ground it with as short and straight wire to your single point electric ground as possible.

You run fully shielded Ethernet cable (preferably underground, if so make sure it is gel filled too, it will last longer). Then you have a choice on the other end.

But before we get to the choice you cut off at least 5in of the Ethernet cable shield so there is no continuous connection from one end to the other(at remote end). You need 5in (125mm) for the large spark not to jump. You can put silicone sealant or liquid tape on that or even better self vulcanising tape.

Then comes your choice. You either:
A) - do not ground it, you do not use a surge protector (because there is nothing to connect it to) and you avoid any metal. This is good if you have a wooden pole for example. The chance of surge destroying the equipment is there, but the house is safe.

B) - you have to ground it because it goes onto a steel pole, metal clad building, or you want to have better protection. In such case you put in proper ground (whatever type) you put in a surge protector and you connect it to that ground.

Whatever you do, it is preferable if any connection going outside the house is surge protected.

If you absolutely have to have multiple wires and common potential between buildings that is a separate thing to discuss.

Make the wire as straight as possible with as few sharp bends as you can get away with

FWIW, I think those are likely a waste of money. Will they help to some degree? Probably. Will they help you if it gets struck by lightning? Probably not. If you are overly worried about lightning, I would see if you can move the location of the camera or do everything else possible to prevent the strike in the first place, rather than protecting the camera

No they are not a waste of money in general, but there is a lot if crap being sold that contains wrong kind of protection. A good Ethernet surge protector needs at least:

• gas discharge tubes
• MOVs
• fast diodes or other semiconductor protection.

And it nerds it for all the wires and common potential. This is a lot of parts. When I looked into what is available on the market I'd have to pay about $30 for each port. And remember this is a consumable. 4 port cards were slightly better costing about $100 each, but that is still pretty expensive.

If you're using a device that sacrifices some of these elements it may be quite close to "a waste of money".

So using cheap Poe splitters as a first line of defense on the remote end is not a bad idea.