Tower installation of PTZ and Lightning protection

master_tinkerer

master_tinkerer

IPCT+ Member
Apr 7, 2016
164
117
Michigan
I have a new 100 ft aluminum 3 leg tower going in and plan to put several ptz cameras on the top. The tower is above most of the trees. My thought was to run 120 v (like 2 conductor #12) power up to the "distribution box" where there would be the ip bricks. The cameras are expensive(relatively) so that is the primary goal to protect them --one 2 meg and two 8 meg. I thought about a switch and a fiber converter to be near the cameras and the fiber down the tower to my house switch and another converter. I would add a copper ground cable down two of the three legs ( 250 ft spool is cheaper) connected to the very top above the cameras and ground rods at base. The plan is the copper cables 1/0 would carry most of the current and so might the AL tower so that the #12 and fiber would survive. I know lightning can very widely so big strikes, it toast.

Any thoughts or additions. This is for Eagle watching eagle cam_2017-10-19_081449.JPG
 
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using fibre between the mast and your building is a good idea, at least things are electrically isolated on the network side. You would need a finial that protrudes above the tower enough to become the main strike target , how far I can't say and to a degree will depend how much the tower protrudes above the equipment you want to protect. Major buildings tend to use a heavy flat copper strip to shunt the strike to ground, expensive to obtain tho I expect.

You'll still want decent surge suppression on the power feed to handle any discharge spikes, possibly both ends to be safe.

Oh and nice project btw, fantastic pic :-)
 
Thanks to both of you. Flat copper has greater surface area for high freq. I hope my tower will be even better surface area. I've order bare #2 AL cable to clamp right to AL tower and plan to use conductive compound on tower joints (every 10 ft). The cables will tie to perimeter ground and rods. This is my first experience with fiber. Ordered a short piece and two ends to test. 100 ft tower is not a friendly place to experiment.
 
Beautiful bird. Wonderful photo.

My wife watches eagles at Berry College in Rome, GA; she's seen pairs raise a couple of youngster every season for the last 4 years.

BTW, thanks for sharing, look forward to seeing some more images and/or videos, perhaps here or maybe you'll have a live stream at some point.
 
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Great project. I think we'd all be grateful if you'd come back from time to time and show us what you're cameras have captured. thumbsup.gif
 
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