Installation Instructions

Grounding Guidelines | 41
Grounding Guidelines
This appendix provides some guidelines for properly grounding the SkyPilot
Gateway Pro.
Proper grounding protects both your SkyPilot device and equipment connected
to it. For the surge protection circuitry built into the SkyPilot equipment to be
effective, proper grounding of the unit is necessary. This is especially true if you’re
installing devices on tall structures, or in areas subject to lightning.
NOTE The techniques described in this appendix are intended as general
guidelines only and do not constitute a comprehensive guide covering all
installation scenarios. For maximum protection, contact a qualified
installation specialist who is familiar with your operating environments. If
lightning is a threat in your area, consider a consultation with a lightning
and transient protection specialist.
General Grounding Strategy
To ensure optimum reliability, properly ground the metal base of the SkyPilot device. The
most efficient way to ground the device is to use an 8 GA or larger wire to connect it to a
ground point on the mounting structure or tower.
The three most common ground points are:
 A cold-water pipe. Make sure it is well-connected to earth.
 The primary grounding point of the AC electrical system of the building.
 A 10-foot or longer copper-clad ground rod driven into the earth. For a tower
with multiple legs, you need one ground rod per leg and a ground wire loop
connecting each of the rods; see Figure 12.
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