ePMP Subscriber Grounding and Surge Suppression Considerations

Structures, equipment and people must be protected against power surges (typically caused by lightning) by conducting the surge current to ground via a separate preferential solid path.

The actual degree of protection required depends on local conditions and applicable local regulations. To adequately protect an ePMP installation, both ground bonding and transient voltage surge suppression are required.

Lightning and electrical surges will always find the least resistant path to ground, which often is the copper Ethernet cabling to the ePMP device.

Without a surge suppressor installed, no transient voltage surge suppression is employed at the radio site.

Both rises in voltage and lightning strikes are a threat to equipment installed without a surge suppressor.

Any extraneous voltage from lightning or the power supply may be conducted up the Ethernet cable and absorbed directly by the device Ethernet LAN port.

  • ePMP 1000 Connectorized Subscribers – The device is isolated electrically from its mounting pole (no metal / conductive path between the device and the pole), but the unit does contain an exposed heat sink (metal).
    • The installation requires at least one 600SS at the CAT5 point of entry into the dwelling.  This diverts pole lightning strikes to Protective Earth.  Otherwise, the strike may hit network equipment and send surges through Ethernet cabling.
    • In the case of increased exposure to lightning strikes or power surges, extra protection may be required near the device (600SS) to prevent surges from traveling up the tower to the device Ethernet port
    • Ensure that the device is 2 feet below the top of the pole, and that the pole itself is grounded
  • Force 180 / Force 190 Subscribers / ePMP 1000 Integrated Subscribers- The device is isolated electrically from its mounting pole – no grounding lug/cabling at the device required
    • The installation requires at least one 600SS at the CAT5 point of entry into the dwelling.  This diverts pole lightning strikes to Protective Earth.  Otherwise, the strike may hit network equipment and send surges through Ethernet cabling.
    • Ensure that the device is 2 feet below the top of the pole, and that the pole itself is grounded
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