lippavisual Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 I’ve seen lightning smoke out network switches and the devices connected to them when using copper cable as a backbone. Better to be safer than sorry. Fiber is non-conducive so a better way to connect anything outdoors, especially a pool house or out building. Pricing on fiber is really not that expensive and most net switches have SFP ports nowadays. Compared to a CAT6A cable for 10GB, fiber pricing should be a no brainer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAV Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 14 hours ago, bballjn64 said: I'm confused as to why there is a concern for a lightning strike targeting an insulated ethernet cable run below a soffit on the exterior of a building. ... Even fiber is excessive .... Doesn't need to strike the cable, enough current in the air and the cable will pick it up like an antenna. Grounding isn't to safeguard delicate chip sets, it's to avoid fires. The whole National Electrical Code, fire and people safety, not equipment protection. The inline surge will help, but fiber can be immune altogether and cost isn't that different anymore for a whole lot of gain. SpencerT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted February 14 Share Posted February 14 16 hours ago, bballjn64 said: Your roof and gutter will definitely be struck before this specific cable would ever be HAH. Tell that to my client that had a strike THROUGH THE CONCRETE PAD next to his house. Not the house. Not the rod ON his house. Not the many trees around the house. Not the comm tower some 500f away from the house No it went into, through and cracking apart the concrete pad to fuse the re-bar as it travelled through to hit his powerline to the house. Simplified school physics will tell you that electricity will always choose the path of least resistance: but that's HEAVILY simplified and certainly does not take all possible factors of what that path of 'least resistance' looks like in real life. Remember folk, don't hide under a tree in a lighting storm. Shoe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew luecke Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 10 hours ago, Cyknight said: HAH. Tell that to my client that had a strike THROUGH THE CONCRETE PAD next to his house. Not the house. Not the rod ON his house. Not the many trees around the house. Not the comm tower some 500f away from the house No it went into, through and cracking apart the concrete pad to fuse the re-bar as it travelled through to hit his powerline to the house. Simplified school physics will tell you that electricity will always choose the path of least resistance: but that's HEAVILY simplified and certainly does not take all possible factors of what that path of 'least resistance' looks like in real life. Remember folk, don't hide under a tree in a lighting storm. I run a hiking group as a hobby.. Most people harmed by lightning are apparently only located near the lightning (and aren't struck directly). I'd imagine the same can definitely happen with cables. Even Lighting surge protectors apparently aren't super helpful in a lot of cases WITH Copper vs Fiber at this point, even though Copper can run at high speed, the cost difference is generally small enough that the speed alone is beneficial (use Preterminated if you don't have a splicer). The other advantages such as non-conductive, no interference are really just bonuses. Copper also oxidises fairly easily in air and the MTBF on Fiber tends to be substantially longer. And it is easier to troubleshoot if you're using approved SFP modules. You can literally point the laser in your eye to see if signal is being sent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
c4toys Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 On 2/14/2024 at 11:46 AM, Cyknight said: HAH. Tell that to my client that had a strike THROUGH THE CONCRETE PAD next to his house. Not the house. Not the rod ON his house. Not the many trees around the house. Not the comm tower some 500f away from the house No it went into, through and cracking apart the concrete pad to fuse the re-bar as it travelled through to hit his powerline to the house. Simplified school physics will tell you that electricity will always choose the path of least resistance: but that's HEAVILY simplified and certainly does not take all possible factors of what that path of 'least resistance' looks like in real life. Remember folk, don't hide under a tree in a lighting storm. Here in Florida I have seen plenty a direct strikes. House dormer, HAM radio towers, transformers, Tv antennas, gate opener. Lightning always finds the comm cable its job security. If you put a cable in the ground it is just a matter of time around here! Even ISP require fiber tracer to be grounded Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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