User Manual

Air4G Installation Guide
Page 10 Commercial in Confidence UGD-D00181 Rev G
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.