Installation Guide

Table Of Contents
F
Grounding Specifications
This appendix provides specific procedures, details, and quality specifications for Itron’s
installation suppliers during the installation of Itron’s ChoiceConnect® Automated Meter
Infrastructure (AMI).
To achieve optimum performance of Itron’s ChoiceConnect network devices, all critical
components of the network must be thoroughly grounded and protected from electrical surges.
The antennas, cables, and connectors are constantly exposed to the elements and because they
are typically mounted at a high elevation, lightning strikes. Lack of proper system grounding and
the resultant damage caused by electrical surges, can directly impact the network, resulting in
endpoint read failures, repeater connection failures, or collector management failures.
The ChoiceConnect® Grounding Specification procedure is designed to ensure that remote and
tower mounted antennas perform to the required specification prior to integration of collector or
repeater into the Itron Fixed Network. For devices already on- air, this testing procedure can be
used for troubleshooting problems.
This document is primarily designed for Itron RF engineers, senior project managers, field
engineers as well as network device installers. It is assumed that users of this document are
familiar with the operation of equipment such as the Megger DET14C/24C Clamp-on Ground
Resistance Tester.
The following illustration shows a Megger DET14C/24C Clamp-on Ground Resistance Tester.
The service life of any piece of electronically controlled equipment is often determined by the
quality of the electrical service that it receives power from. The number one cause of downtime
(other than user error, neglect, or abuse) is poor power quality.
12 February 2021 815-0491-00 Itron, Inc. Page 103 of 133