atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Outside Plant OSP Construction surger protection for two buildings 40 feet?

In the past, I installed one of these on the end of a gell filed 50 pair but the other end was terminated onto the bix frame at the other end. That end "wiring room" housed all the terminations for all the small business. I did not see any surge protection terminated from the outdoor black filled gel cable.

I want to know if its standard for only one end "the small business" to have a surge box like this ?
https://www.surgetech.com/products/pdf/ST692_CH_SERIES.pdf


I don't do residential wiring but, some one ask if I can terminate 40 feet of gel cable between two townhouse buildings. In a case like this, probably would be good idea to install two surge boxes? I figure in the last install, the CO had built in surge protection so thus, no box was needed in the MDF wiring room.

Lastly, other then NEDCO...if they have one of these, who else sells them in BC Canada?

Thanks

For a distance of only 40 feet, I wouldn't be too concerned about protection on both ends. In the US, lightning protection isn't required unless the exposed cable extends beyond the confines of a city block. Common sense is more appropriate in this situation.

If it were my job, I'd provide protection on the end of the cable where the actual phone system is located.

Also, try to find a terminal that has an integral splice chamber for the incoming cable for two reasons:

1. To prevent someone from pulling pairs off of the protection and simply splicing them through and;

2. To minimize the long-term effect of the cable's filling compound from getting all over everything. Rest assured that no matter how well you clean the icky-pic from the cable pairs, it will undoubtedly ooze over time.

There are quite a few building entrance terminals listed on e-bay right now. Search "building entrance terminal" or "protected entrance terminal".

I have noticed that some times, you see them without the gas tube fuses such as these-

https://www.comm-omni.com/circa/4b1e.htm

Is that to keep the cost down to a minimum if you say, for example need 8 fuses instead all of them?

Well, yes, but........

They are sold "unloaded" as they do not know what your requirements are. You order the plug in five pin protector that you need for your situation.

And, yes, it sure is cheaper!

As for the forty feet between structures, the cable should be withing the "cone of protection" as the buildings are taller and will be struck first, protecting the cable.

I would still protect both ends...over kill can protect not only the customer but your insurance coverage. :read:

Also, can these entrance surge protectors pass DSL and TV signals across them? We have telus tv that runs across POTS so want to know.

Lastly, if there is no grounding rod, how deep should it be after I drill a hole for it?

If you use traditional gas tube protector modules, they will pass DSL just fine. I've seen instances where the solid state ones don't.

You shouldn't use a ground rod. You need to bond the protector to the building's electrical ground connection or at least to the building's steel structure (if it exists). A separate ground rod MAY be driven, but since you still have to tie it to the electrical ground, you would be wasting your time driving one.

Hi Eve607797,

Just got back from the townhouse site. Inspected the main MDF where the conduit's leads to each of the town house buildings. The conduit is 1 inch dimater. Each buiding houses 12 units which is a total of 24 pairs if unit wants a second line for fax. Not sure if there is such thing as a 24 pair gel cable. Some conduit runs in the orange plastic conduit are 40 feet, some are longer.

Telus has not been to the site to install the demark equipment. No cement floor just sand in the electrical closet. No string installed in what I count as 8-12 1 inch orange plastic conduits and no conduits are marked!

Ive had fustrations dealing with one inch in the past but that was with some other cable in it.

Telus will most likely install a surge enterance box but if not, would need to install one for all the units.

This will have to wait till telus installs there demark gear.

25 pair is the closest thing you'll find. If you request type PE-89 cable, 24 gauge, it has a reduced diameter that will work with the 1" conduit. In a sealed conduit run, you really don't have to use filled cable, so you could get away with unfilled type PE-22 cable to save even more in cable diameter.

Use a shop vac, a plastic kitchen trash bag tied to some string to address the conduit issue. Use the string to pull a 1/4" rope to pull the cable and you'll be fine.

I agree with your concerns about Telus not installing a protected entrance terminal, since many telcos are going with fiber only. That negates the requirement for the real grounding and bonding that is required with copper.

I have 2 buildings about 50 feet apart with 2"PVC that contains a 25 pair cat3 for Telco and 1 cat5 for network. We are located about 5oo feet from a railroad track.

The track gets struck by lightning fairly often and when it does I always loose a network switch or other device on the network.

Replacing the cat5 with fiber this spring and the cat3 is geting protectors on both ends.