Author Topic: tripod mount  (Read 8191 times)

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Offline f86sabjf

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tripod mount
« on: February 07, 2009, 03:39:48 PM »
Hello Again

 My wife has changed my mind for me and said for me to get a tripod for the roof because she doesn't want a tower built in the backyard.
  My low end units ananometer takes a 3/4in pipe to mount it without screwing it to something. Are there any preferences to tripod brands and are they made specifically made for the companies sensors (I.E Davis etc...) or can  I just buy one and mount it to whichever upgraded unit i get later??
  Sorry to bother

  Thanks
   Jeff
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Offline SlowModem

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2009, 03:56:52 PM »
Hello Again

 My wife has changed my mind for me and said for me to get a tripod for the roof because she doesn't want a tower built in the backyard.
  My low end units ananometer takes a 3/4in pipe to mount it without screwing it to something. Are there any preferences to tripod brands and are they made specifically made for the companies sensors (I.E Davis etc...) or can  I just buy one and mount it to whichever upgraded unit i get later??
  Sorry to bother

  Thanks
   Jeff

Jeff,

There's lots of options.  Here are a couple of links to look at just to show you what kind of things are available.  I'm not recommending any company or supplier or whatever.  Get the best deal.

Greg

http://www.ambientweather.com/amwemoso.html

http://www.radioshack.com/search/index.jsp?kwCatId=&kw=antenna%20tripod&origkw=antenna%20tripod&sr=1
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline racenet

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2009, 04:29:35 PM »
The Radio Shack tripod will work for what ever type of station you decide to get. Nothing special in the tripod department is needed for a weather station.




Bob
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Offline f86sabjf

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2009, 05:45:08 PM »
Thanks guys
i didn't know if different brands were specific to there instruments.
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Offline f86sabjf

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2009, 05:54:00 PM »
ooops with a tripod do I  still need to ground ? Even though it will be screwewd into the trusses ??
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Offline SlowModem

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2009, 06:06:52 PM »
I don't know anything about grounding.  But while I was looking for info, I ran across this picture.  It speaks for itself.  Wow!

Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN USA

Offline f86sabjf

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2009, 06:09:03 PM »
yeah welcome to my world . I live in the  80-90 zone
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Offline DanS

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2009, 06:53:14 PM »
ooops with a tripod do I  still need to ground ? Even though it will be screwewd into the trusses ??

Unless your trusses are metal and grounded you need to ground your tripod. :grin:


edit: unless your running wireless then it's your choice to help protect the outside tripod mounted instruments.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2009, 06:58:47 PM by DanS »

Offline tomcj2

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2009, 09:31:00 PM »
if you love it ground it
« Last Edit: February 07, 2009, 09:34:25 PM by tomcj2 »

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Offline Scalphunter

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2009, 11:31:25 PM »
should be ground anyways to disapated  static build up cause by wind.

Offline f86sabjf

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2009, 05:58:54 PM »
 I'm going to have an electrician come out and ground it . At least that way if the house takes a direct hit the insurance company cant say i caused the problem with bad grounding.
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Offline tomcj2

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2009, 10:48:56 PM »
I'm going to have an electrician come out and ground it .


I would be interested to find out exactly how he (or she) does it and how much it cost

Davis VP2 (6163), WL 5.9.0..  VWS 14.01 p25, Panasonic HM371A camera. WU & W4U KORCANBY3, CoCoRaHS OR-CC-27

Offline f86sabjf

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2009, 11:16:11 AM »
I'll let you know ,it will  be in the next month. Shoot me a pm in a few weeks I'll update you
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Offline mackbig

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #13 on: February 14, 2009, 01:13:45 PM »
I would be interested to know which gauge they use...    I have read about the huge gauge like 10 gauge (small number big size...) people recommend, yet the ground wire on the anemometer is tiny... on my old satelite install, the RCA sat RG6 has a pretty small 18 gauge (not tiny) ground wire.

It would be also interesting to know if they just tied it in to existing ground, or if they tap a new 8' rod.

Andrew



Andrew - Davis VP2+ 6163, serial weatherlink, wireless anemometer, running Weather Display.  Boltek PCI Stormtracker, Astrogenic Nexstorm, Strikestar - UNI, CWOP CW8618, GrLevel3, (Station 2 OS WMR968, VWS 13.01p09), Windows 7-64

Offline f86sabjf

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #14 on: February 14, 2009, 01:52:46 PM »
There seems to be some interest perhaps i can post photos if i can figure it out and we can make it a sticky.
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Offline Scalphunter

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #15 on: February 14, 2009, 02:06:14 PM »
 Ground wires are generally large to give  the wire more surface area. 10 gauge and  up. It is not  uncommon for 8 AWG to be use for grounding.  Small wires do not have  much surface area. i wwould have to go dig out my  books   to see what cross- section difference is  but off top  of the old noggin one  wire sizes is like 4 times the area, In radio installations we use  copper straps as Rf likes to run to ground on  that . Have  copper bar for grounding plate  on rigs and then to ground I ran  strapping. Any wire higher  then 10 awg  is smaller and  just  doesn't carry the current which for  a bolt out of the blue  you would want large carrying capacity.

John
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Offline Bushman

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #16 on: February 14, 2009, 02:11:15 PM »
It is either 6 or 10 AWG.  :)  NEC specs.

Telecommunications Systems [Article 800]. The National Electrical Code requires the metallic members of the telecommunication cable sheath, where required to be grounded by 800.33 and primary protectors to be grounded to an electrode as close as practicable to the point of entrance of the cable to the building or structure [800.33]. The grounding conductor shall be insulated and shall not be smaller than 14 copper AWG and it’s length shall be as short as practicable run in as straight a line as practicable [800.40].

In one- and two-family dwellings, the grounding conductor shall not exceed 20 ft in length. Where it is not practicable to limit the grounding conductor to 20 ft, the primary protector can be grounded to a separate 5 ft communications ground rod [800.40(B)(2)(2)] that must be bonded to the power grounding electrode system with a conductor not smaller than 6 AWG [800.40(D)].

Radio and Television Equipment [Article 810]. The antenna mast that supports radio, HAM, television and satellite receiving antennas must be grounded [810.15]. In addition, each conductor (coaxial, control, and signal conductors) of a lead-in from an "outdoor antenna" must be provided with a listed antenna discharge unit (grounding block). The antenna discharge unit shall be grounded and it must be located outside or inside as near as practicable to the entrance of the conductors to the building and it must not be located near combustible material [810.20].

The grounding conductor for the mast and discharge unit shall not be smaller than 10 copper AWG and it’s length shall be as short as practicable run in as straight a line as practicable [800.21].

Grounding of the antenna mast and lead-in cables in accordance with the NEC is somewhat effective in protecting receiving equipment from voltage surges, as well as voltage transients from lightning. If the mast is not properly grounded, the Low Noise Block (LNB), as well as the dc rotor motors that control the positioning larger satellite dishes often will be destroyed by voltage surges caused by nearby lightning strikes. If the lead-in from an outdoor antenna is not properly earth grounded in accordance with the NEC, the receiver can be destroyed by voltage surges caused by nearby lightning strikes.

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Offline mackbig

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #17 on: February 14, 2009, 05:15:12 PM »
I wonder how they can sell this RG6 as "grounded"  I know this is not the RCA brand, but it is identical
http://www.solidsignal.com/prod_display.asp?PROD=1839AC

So from what I have read, grounding realy has nothing to do with preventing damage upon a lightning strike, its purely to discharge/prevent static buildup thus avoiding attracting a lightning strike.   none of the gauges mentioned could handle the energy of an actual direct hit.

Here is something I dont understand.  I have hundreds of feet of metal eavestrough on my house, why does it not need to be grounded.  That seems like a really big target on a house...   What about metal piping for the furnace..?

Andrew

Andrew - Davis VP2+ 6163, serial weatherlink, wireless anemometer, running Weather Display.  Boltek PCI Stormtracker, Astrogenic Nexstorm, Strikestar - UNI, CWOP CW8618, GrLevel3, (Station 2 OS WMR968, VWS 13.01p09), Windows 7-64

Offline tomcj2

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #18 on: February 14, 2009, 06:16:19 PM »
I'm going to use a 6' section of rebar as a grounding rod and clamp a short section of 10ga copper wire to the rod and the base of the mast.



If you are going to the trouble of grounding it don't use rebar.  Use a UL listed ground rod, and clamps.  An 8 ft ground rod costs less than $10

Davis VP2 (6163), WL 5.9.0..  VWS 14.01 p25, Panasonic HM371A camera. WU & W4U KORCANBY3, CoCoRaHS OR-CC-27

Offline Scalphunter

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #19 on: February 15, 2009, 01:44:49 AM »
  That small # 10 AWG wire that you use in house electrical systems is just for your house and there to protect you in case the systems floating ground fails and to direct current away from you. For lighting rod systems you need bigger wire to carry the amperage. # 4 awg stranded is used in  most of the systems that I looked at. One  sells the stranded cable that is 7/16 th of inch thick.  Being stranded you can carry more current and safely make bend with out  fracturing the wire. On board ships  solid wire is a no no. USCG regs. All wiring there is stranded to prevent vibration breakage. Here a site showing   a house grounding system for home lighting protection. http://www.lightningrodparts.com/installation.html

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Offline Bushman

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #20 on: February 15, 2009, 11:54:06 AM »
...
Here is something I dont understand.  I have hundreds of feet of metal eavestrough on my house, why does it not need to be grounded.  That seems like a really big target on a house...   What about metal piping for the furnace..?

Or what about the large metal fireplace flues that often go 4-5 feet above the roof peak?   I was looking around yesterday and only saw one house with lightning protection.  A really old place from the  start of the last century. 
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Offline tomcj2

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #21 on: February 15, 2009, 12:26:13 PM »
There is a big difference between grounding, bonding, and lightning protection, and The NEC has different requirements for each

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Offline tomcj2

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Re: tripod mount
« Reply #22 on: April 05, 2009, 08:36:54 PM »



I would be interested to find out exactly how he (or she) does it and how much it cost

I'll let you know ,it will  be in the next month. Shoot me a pm in a few weeks I'll update you

Have you had it done?

Davis VP2 (6163), WL 5.9.0..  VWS 14.01 p25, Panasonic HM371A camera. WU & W4U KORCANBY3, CoCoRaHS OR-CC-27

 

anything