Lightning Woes

[psychodad1000]

A couple of weeks ago we had a bad thunderstorm while I was out of town. When I came home I had lost a modem (Comcast), a computer, and 2 out of 3 cameras. I put in a service call for Comcast to come replace their modem while I licked my wounds over my lost equipment. It should have been a wake-up call last year when lightning took out my previous Comcast modem. Comcast came and replaced the modem then as well as a couple of others in the neighborhood. I didn't give it much thought since I didn't lose any equipment.

When they installed the new modem this time, I quizzed my tech about lightning protection and he installed a ground block inside the house where the cable enters. I'm not sure why there wasn't already one there? The new block is grounded inside my electric panel next to where the wire comes in from my ground rod. We also verified there was a ground rod at the service pole about 200 ft away. What else should be done to protect my system?

Should I install a lightning/surge suppressor in the line between the modem and my router? My APC UPS has ethernet ports, does anyone actually use them? Will they degrade performance?

Something interesting, I have two routers and two switches in the network, but none of them lost any ports. There were also several other PC's, Dish box and an internet radio connected to the network that were not bothered, only the PC connected to my router. The two cameras that were knocked out were connected to a POE switch. The wiring runs from one end of the basement to the other, up 3 floors to the attic, back to the other end of the house, then down a gable to the soffit for an under hung mount. The cable is not shielded and was run in pvc conduit most of the way just for some minimal protection. Did the long cable runs pick up EMR and knock out the cameras (located 5 feet apart)? Should I install surge suppressors at both ends of the camera runs? Can the camera suppressors be grounded to a flood light nearby or do I need to run to an earth ground?

I read a post further down with some recommendations for lightning suppressors (L-Com) which should work. Any comments/suggestions would be appreciated.

Sorry for the long post.

 

[Q™]

Urgh! L-Com good!

 

[looney2ns]

Comcast say's it all.
There should have been a grounding block at the point of entrance to your house to begin with.
More equipment is damaged via coax, Ethernet lines, and telephone lines than by power lines.
I've used the RJ45's on APC's before without issue's,might want to check the specs of what it claims vs the L-Com.
Everything that is connected together needs to be surge protected, if not the surge will sneak in.

STP Ethernet cable may have saved your cameras. Everything has to be grounded correctly or it won't help.

 

[c hris527]

I have used SurgeGate Products on cat 6 stuff that sits outside and up in the air that might act as a lightning rod when struck. They have done their job and took the hit. i always use a private ground with them.

CAT6-75/POE-RJ45

 

[Snapper30]

@psychodad1000 Was the surviving camera connected to the POE switch also?

 

[psychodad1000]

@psychodad1000 Was the surviving camera connected to the POE switch also?

Surviving camera was connected to a ZyXel POE switch but was not being supplied power by the POE switch. The power on that particular port failed a while ago. The camera was being powered by an external 12VDC supply.

UPDATE:
Brought the failed cameras inside to play with and found the POE part was fried in both cameras. Both cameras powered up using 12VDC externally. I have repurposed one camera to the basement where I can power it externally. It's been running ok for a week now.

I've replaced the two damaged cameras with Dahua 5231R-ZE's using the same POE ports on the ZyXel switch. They have been working fine so there appears to have been no damage to the switch ports, only the cameras.

Today I received a 4-port and a 2-port L-Com gas tube lightning protector. I was thinking I would use the 4-port for the two cameras and my incoming data from the Comcast modem. The other 2-port I'll mount in the soffit to protect the other end of the cameras. I'll install a ground rod and run a ground wire up to the soffit. If I can find some white wire I'll hide it behind the downspout for a clean installation. It seems like overkill but it's all I know to do with my limited understanding of the subject. As always, I'm open to suggestions/recommendations.

BTW, anyone ordering a spare board for the L-Com's be aware you need a spare board for each pair of ports. i.e., a 2-port protector requires two spare boards. It wasn't obvious to me, duh.