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winagain
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Mikrotik & Lightning

Mon Feb 20, 2017 6:17 pm

Hi,

For the past couple of years we have lost routers due to lightning on an annual basis.

We are in a region with no natural high sites, and obviously our towers become the best grounding and attract lightning.

I was wondering if you guys could share your experiences on protecting against lightning, I know there is nothing foolproof to protect against lightning, but looking at ideas that could possibly be implemented to reduce the risk as far as possible.
I used to use lightning arrestors, and lost more routers and radios as a result, now I have non on my RF cables

Most strikes so far seem to have come via the utility providers power cables, so ideas on how to protect against that would be more valuable to me, however don't hold back on other ideas to help protect the high sites themselves as well.

Looking forward to hearing some info on how to protect our routers.
 
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Mon Feb 20, 2017 6:38 pm

I'm not the wireless guy at the company, but i can say that 80% of our problems with lightening were solved by using Fiber to the tower instead of Ethernet cable.
 
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:24 pm

3 x Big earth mat near base of tower/ connect tower earth and building earth as well as utility earth together so you dont get potential difference between them/. lighning arrestors on everything that come from outside. you cant guarantee but you can reduce losses.
 
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winagain
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:29 pm

The mat you refer to is that the same as what one would use on workshop bench, anti static mat.

Could you post a pic of what you are refering to?
 
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:37 pm

I dont have any pictures on hand . we normally use an old elextrical cable 25mm2 strip off the shielding and make our own. Bury it +- 2 meters down and then drive a earth rod down further. Bond the mat and earth rod together run a 25 mm2 cable from that earth distribution point where we bond all earths together. Image
 
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winagain
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:43 pm

Ah! We do something similar, I thought you meant a physical mat at the base of tower, not grounding mesh in ground. :)
 
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:46 pm

different terminology same thing. What soil you on . Kalahari sands.
 
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winagain
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:51 pm

Yes ...have to go deap with our grounding rods.

We attempt to get to moist soil but not always possible, at which point we increase mesh and depth of rods as far as we can.

I have also had good success with grounding using old vehicle coolers (radiator) burried as deap as we can go. Its not the most ideal conductor but it has good surface area.
 
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:57 pm

adding salt and ash improves conductivity as well. if you can dig to better soil or bring in better soil from surrounding area putting below and above earth mat
 
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winagain
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Mon Feb 20, 2017 7:59 pm

Salt is an obvious improvement...but hadnt thought of that :)

Will def make use of that.
 
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Tue Feb 21, 2017 10:06 pm

I'm not the wireless guy at the company, but i can say that 80% of our problems with lightening were solved by using Fiber to the tower instead of Ethernet cable.
What about power - you are still using some copper

Fiber will help protect your switch ports - however - a lightning strike can still destroy lots of things.
With fiber - you may want to also consider using a high-end POE surge suppressor - and ground everything. And consider a copper ring around the inside of your tower-located equipment building to help with emi pulses during lightning strikes.
 
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Tue Feb 21, 2017 10:10 pm

adding salt and ash improves conductivity as well. if you can dig to better soil or bring in better soil from surrounding area putting below and above earth mat
Up in Alaska - they also urinate on the ground rods - lol but true.
 
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:18 pm

I'm not the wireless guy at the company, but i can say that 80% of our problems with lightening were solved by using Fiber to the tower instead of Ethernet cable.
What about power - you are still using some copper

Fiber will help protect your switch ports - however - a lightning strike can still destroy lots of things.
With fiber - you may want to also consider using a high-end POE surge suppressor - and ground everything. And consider a copper ring around the inside of your tower-located equipment building to help with emi pulses during lightning strikes.
We usually rent space on towers, so power related grounding is handled by owners, we still have some service interrupts because of lightening, but equipment stays operational, before there was lots of issues including blown ports on switches.
 
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Re: Mikrotik & Lightning

Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:46 pm

re: including blown ports on switches
YUP - been there a few times

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