Ethernet from house eves to switch - anything special for grounding?

[Linwood]

I have cameras now under the eves of the house.  These eves are aluminum and the cameras are out of the weather, generally, but clearly outside.
 
The wiring is all inside -- it goes up inside the eve into the house, and is not run along the house outside at any point (I ended up getting lucky).   I used regular cat5 unshielded interior wire, since I had none of it exposed.
 
I ran them directly into a POE switch.  In retrospect I am wondering if I need some kind of lightning suppressor in front of the switch.
 
I've found a few, but frankly all cost more than the switch (and yes, I realize that it is possible it could go THROUGH the switch to other devices, but the switch is the most likely sacrificial device).
 
Are these needed?   Are there any cheaper 8-port ones (I saw some in the $150 range)?
 
And do they do any good without a shield?
 
Would you bother for interior runs (at least in this sense interior)?
 

 

[Del91574]

You can choose what sort of protection and where you want the damage to stop, so to speak.
 
If no field protection is being installed, I would look at segmenting the network or even a separate private network altogether to eliminate how far and what can be damaged in the event of a strike.
 
In the specific case of your example, if you're lucky the surge would travel down a single camera line, pop the switch and stop there. Worst case is it would damage/destroy everything connected to the switch.

 

[Linwood]

The only things on that switch are the camera server and an uplink across the house to another switch, also cheap.   I realize it could travel throughout everything that is metal.  And at some level whether or not protected.
 
My real question I guess is how frequent problems originate from cables in the eves?  Clearly if I put a camera up on the top of the pool cage, highest point and all... 
 
How does the eve of a house (high, concrete tile roof above, no explicit lightning protection on the roof) rate in terms of risk?

 

[Del91574]

We're not talking about a direct hit but transient voltages.
 
Transients from outside are very likely to travel through from the outside to the inside, especially if there's a ground reference or path to ground. All you need is a small differential to cause damaging voltages to develop.
 
Personally, I'd turn the exterior devices and servers into their own island upon themselves. Isolate the switch that has outdoor devices from the server or any other device. I'd put the cameras on one switch, the NVR on the same switch with a surge between it and the switch, and then segregate your normal network from it.

 

[Linwood]

That's fairly easy I guess, though I have more invested in the cameras.  They are already something of an island, so cutting the isthmus connecting them to the main systems is cheaper than protecting each camera.
 
Thanks.

 

[pete_c]

Unrelated to cams....
 
Personally have utilized wireless weather station in FL and have not had issues with it.  Irrigation is not automated there but have historically replaced fuses on the old Rainbird controller a few times due to lightning.  Power supply has been replaced once.  The irrigation controller / controller board has survived some 15 years with no damage to date.   In the midwest did lose two serially connected irrigation controllers (RS-232) due to lightning but not the serial port devices (Digi/computer stuff) over the last 15 years. (nothing happened to the solenoid valves).  (do also get advertisments from FPL for a monthly rental on an outdoor mounted surge protector - not really sure if this would cover lightning damaged appliances)

 

[Linwood]

Hi Pete.  We've had mixed luck here.  I have a whole house surge suppressor and have had it blow twice, once so strongly it set fire to a piece of paper on the inside of the door of the breaker panel.  No damage to anything in the house though.   In fact never any damage to stuff inside the house, so far.  But we have some incredible lightning at times, as I am sure you do.  I hadn't thought of the irrigation controller -- I have the same experience (but only 10 years), though connected to a rain sensor on the edge of the eve, no damage.   Nor Dish antennas (though they have some protection). 
 
Incredible lightning storms, and 10 minutes later clear blue sky.  Interesting weather down here in the summer.

 

[pete_c]

Yup; always enjoyed those afternoon summer storms there; well more than watching TV.
 
The Rainbird rain sensor is wired to the controller but not mounted really high there.  Here in the midwest (while I do not use it) is wired to a battery RF switch and works fine.  That said utilize rain tipping bucket (on weather station) and digital RG-11 rain sensors (which still work fine today).
 
There started initially with cable TV, then went to DTV (dish is mounted under eave with just a little bit of a point to the sweet spot) and now FIOS.  The DTV box is still connected and working but not utilized today.  Did have rain fade with it.  Installed a outdoor antenna for local HD boardcasts anyways and use it still today (along with FIOS). Internet started with a dial up modem, then DSL, cable and now FIOS.  Guessing lucky as no lightning damage has occurred since the 1970's there via this stuff.  Geez old cable was strung up outside of the house; really kind of mickey mouse stuff at the time.
 
This year (more than the past few years) the power has gone off more than once now in the last couple of months for more than just a couple of minutes when the storms have occurred.  Storm insurance while extremely high (cuckolded)  these days is just a piece of paper.  (IE: large insurance companies wanted to raise rates, state wouldn't let them and the state created an insurance company that was pure profit with no meat or paying on anything - guess that is the best way to make money?)
 
Your post got me making a weather page for there this morning...well also use Cumulus and have a weather station page. 
 
I get mesmerized by these new 3D looking HD weather maps lately...big clouds ...
 

 

[Del91574]

That's fairly easy I guess, though I have more invested in the cameras.  They are already something of an island, so cutting the isthmus connecting them to the main systems is cheaper than protecting each camera.
 
Thanks.

Depends on what is worse and where the money is. I'm dealing with $30-50K video servers (each) usually (trade cost) compared to a $3-800 camera, assuming a single or multiple switch scenario. I'd rather smoke a port/switch than the entire network.
 
I think I meant to say, install a surge on the NVR, and segregate. I don't think you'd isolate the two networks and put fiber between them.

 

[Linwood]

Well, actually I see gigabit media converters for around $20-30, which was surprising.  Never seen lightning follow fiber.  
 
However, the more I think about this (and talk about it) the more I think I should just get a block of 8 RJ45 protectors and stop (most of) it before it gets to the switch.  
 
Thanks for being a sounding board.