Anybody have experience with lightning/ESD/ground issues with outdoor ethernet equip?

[k0ua]

A simple solution is to run the ethernet to the barn with fiber. You can buy long fiber cable with the connectors fitted from ebay for a very reasonable price. Then you need a media converter at each end. For example either of these:

https://www.amazon.com/transceiver-...ref=sr_1_9?keywords=wdm+fiber+media+converter

https://www.amazon.com/Single-Fiber...ords=wdm+fiber+media+converter&qid=1566759857

Use single mode fiber and it is plug-and-play. These media converters only need one fiber and use a different wavelength laser for each direction. This eliminates any issue with induced voltages over the cable. It will not help power line surges, so surge surpressors in the barn might be a good idea.

Paul

Yep, this can be another solution. and one we did often. Again you have to protect the end points AC power supplies from surges. Fiber optic cable is cheap, in fact cheaper than most copper, but you do have to terminate it and that can be problematic for the homeowner. You can buy pre terminated lengths of cable if you can pull them (carefully) thru your conduit. But direct burial bulk cable must be prepped and terminated. We often used a fusion splicer to splice terminated ends onto bulk cable. But the fusion splicer cost around $30000 and required a little training to operate. I made many connections with our Hitachi fusion splicer and it was wonderful to watch it work. Think of a machine that is capable of welding glass fiber ends together that are 9 microns thick. I was an Engineer and not a tech, but some of our techs had trouble keeping the expensive machine clean and working, so I was tasked one summer with making hundreds of these splices on a campus. I got fairly good at it.

Be advised there are two common types of fiber in general use, Single mode, and MultiMode. Multimode usually has an orange jacket and Single mode a yellow jacket on indoor type cable. In bulk PVC jacketed fiber which is usually black, you cant tell by looking at it. Single mode is 9 UMeter and multimode is 62.5 um in diameter.

 

[s219]

Thanks everyone for the great analysis and ideas -- I knew you folks would have some experience.

I had bought direct-bury grounded ethernet cable but glad I stuck it in conduit, as I can use that to pull through fiber if it works out to be the best option. I would need to move the POE injector out to the barn instead of having it in the house, but it should be fine out there.

I don't know if I could go completely wireless, as there isn't good line of sight to the barn from house due to terrain, and the outdoor wifi antennas tend to be directional to cover the distance. But I may be able to relay over and around the terrain with multiple units. The router I was using is a TPLink unit that has 5-6 options to serve as an access point, a client, etc, so I could conceivably use several of those. They are about $40-60 each depending on the options. The trick will be locating each one where it has access to power.

 

[s219]

A simple solution is to run the ethernet to the barn with fiber. You can buy long fiber cable with the connectors fitted from ebay for a very reasonable price. Then you need a media converter at each end. For example either of these:

https://www.amazon.com/transceiver-...ref=sr_1_9?keywords=wdm+fiber+media+converter

https://www.amazon.com/Single-Fiber...ords=wdm+fiber+media+converter&qid=1566759857

Use single mode fiber and it is plug-and-play. These media converters only need one fiber and use a different wavelength laser for each direction. This eliminates any issue with induced voltages over the cable. It will not help power line surges, so surge surpressors in the barn might be a good idea.

Paul

Does anyone make consumer media converter units rated for exterior use? The one in my barn would be shielded from weather, but humidity and winter/summer temperature extremes are still an issue. Figure -15C to 45C would be the temperature range.

 

[k0ua]

Maybe check here:

Industrial Media Converters, Industrial Ethernet I Black Box

 

[Diggin It]

Thanks everyone for the great analysis and ideas -- I knew you folks would have some experience.

I had bought direct-bury grounded ethernet cable but glad I stuck it in conduit, as I can use that to pull through fiber if it works out to be the best option. I would need to move the POE injector out to the barn instead of having it in the house, but it should be fine out there.

I don't know if I could go completely wireless, as there isn't good line of sight to the barn from house due to terrain, and the outdoor wifi antennas tend to be directional to cover the distance. But I may be able to relay over and around the terrain with multiple units. The router I was using is a TPLink unit that has 5-6 options to serve as an access point, a client, etc, so I could conceivably use several of those. They are about $40-60 each depending on the options. The trick will be locating each one where it has access to power.

What's your total distance? Wired links are only good for a little over 300' each.

 

[s219]

Maybe check here:

Industrial Media Converters, Industrial Ethernet I Black Box

I saw those earlier, to get their "hardened" unit rated for the temperatures I need, it was $400 each for 10/100-Mbps, and $800 if I wanted Gigibit!

 

[RoyKing]

I used to maintain Ethernet networks in every county in Fl. The ports on the hubs were always frying and sometimes on the PC. If a site was always having a problem I would have new building ground rods installed at it was interesting how deep they had to go to get a good ground. Most times 20 feet did it but I.ve seen sandy areas where 30 feet wasn't enough. Once we got them grounded problems greatly diminished. However a very close strike will fry wifi circuits. Had a tree strike take out the wifi and wireless remote on a pump.

 

[s219]

What's your total distance? Wired links are only good for a little over 300' each.

200' is the length of the ethernet run I have now (which is about the max for power over ethernet -- POE). Then it shoots wireless another 100' or so to cover the area of interest.

 

[LittleBill21]

Does anyone make consumer media converter units rated for exterior use? The one in my barn would be shielded from weather, but humidity and winter/summer temperature extremes are still an issue. Figure -15C to 45C would be the temperature range.

most go down to 0c, 15c is not a big deal, use an old cooler, a light bulb and a snap temp switch and you would be fine.

 

[LittleBill21]

200' is the length of the ethernet run I have now (which is about the max for power over ethernet -- POE).

may i ask who told you 200 feet is the max for POE? that is certainly not the case.