[Wolffpack]

After a couple of tries I finally got a tech out to ground my DTV Dish that was never grounded when it was installed. I made the mistake of not reviewing the guy's work before he left. Well after looking at it the wire runs down the house from the wall mount on the dish to the metal pipe going underground for the phone line. I'd also guess the wire was about 16 gauge.

When I previously installed my own dish I used 12/14 gauge wire and ran it from the dish to the electrical ground rod. I also used a couple of coax ground straps (or whatever they're called). The 4 lines from the dish connect to these straps and the 4 lines into the house connect to the other side. Is this what I need to do to correctly ground the dish?

 

[Wolffpack]

Thanks, that it, grounding blocks. And no, they are missing. If ya want it done right......

 

[Wolffpack]

Sounds like your installs were not gounded.

The primary reason for grounding is to lessen the effect of lightning strikes. With an ungrounded dish attached to your house a lightning strike will ground itself through your house, with a good chance of starting a fire. A properly grounded dish will divert most (but not all) the power of a strike through the ground doing less damage to your house.

From the equipment standpoint an ungrounded dish/coax will also ground a strike through your equipment.

The second from the last DTV installer that was out here, the one that I discussed the missing ground with and the one that was suppose to install the ground but didn't, told me that the day before he had a 4 hour job replacing the dish, all cable runs and 4 DVRs/receivers due to a lightening strike. Kinda funny, I'll bet that install wasn't properly grounded either.

Bottom line is an ungrounded dish/coax has a much higher chance or torching your home and equipment than a properly grounded dish/coax.

 

[Wolffpack]

I am going to call D* and ask them to send someone out to ground my installation. Even though my dish is on a tripod on dirt, by what you said, my equipment is in danger and possible damage to the unit (house) due to the fact the cables are attached to it going up. Am I right and should have it grounded anyway?

You may want to run to Lowes or Home Depot and grab grounding rod and hammer that into the ground right by your tripod. The installer can attach the ground wire to that. Just make sure you inspect it before they leave. Also make sure they install grounding blocks for the coax. Here's a pic of my old DirecWay install with the grounding block. This is what the last DTV installer that came out Friday failed to do on mine.

 

[Wolffpack]

Thanks for the info Bama. I was waiting for your input. Best just to do it myself.

 

[Wolffpack]

Cool. Come morning I'll get a pic of what the Ironwood wonderboys did to ground this baby.