Air4Gp Installation Guide
Page 10
Commercial in Confidence
UGD-D00236 Rev B
Lightning Protection
WARNING:
The following notes are general recommendations for the system. The wireless
equipment should be installed by a qualified professional installer and must follow local and
national codes for electrical grounding and safety. Failure to meet safety requirements and/or use
of non-standard practices and procedures could result in personal injury and damage to
equipment. A direct lightning strike may cause serious damage even if these guidelines are
followed.
All outdoor wireless equipment is susceptible to lightning damage from a direct hit or induced
current from a near strike. Lightning protection and grounding practices in local and national
electrical codes serve to minimize equipment damage, service outages, and serious injury.
Reasons for lightning damage are summarized as:
- Poorly grounded tower/antenna sites that can conduct high lightning strike energy into
equipment.
- Lack of properly installed lightning protection equipment that can cause equipment failures from
lightning induced currents.
A lighting protection system provides a means by which the energy may enter earth without
passing through and damaging parts of a structure. A lightning protection system does not
prevent lightning from striking; it provides a means for controlling it and preventing damage by
providing a low resistance path for the discharge of energy to travel safely to ground. Improperly
grounded connections are also a source of noise that can cause sensitive equipment to
malfunction.
A good tower grounding system disperses most of the surge energy from a tower strike away
from the building and equipment.
To limit the equipment damage due to a lightning strike, the following practices are recommended
for the wireless system:
- Provide direct grounding from the antenna mounting bracket, the radio and antenna and the
lightning arrestors to the same ground point at the base of the tower or a ground bus on the
building. Use the grounding screws on the antenna bracket and the radio and antenna for
terminating the ground wires.
- The AC wall outlet ground must be connected to the same grounding system as the BS.
