Note: This is only a guide. Always use the services of a licensed electrician to ensure a proper and code-compliant installation for your home.
Depending on where you live, you may need an outdoor antenna to pick up a strong enough signal necessary to watch your favorite TV program.
The TV antenna will usually be mounted on a mast which can be on a chimney or installed in the ground.
Does this outdoor antenna setup require lighting protection? If so, how do you go about grounding it?
In this post, you’ll learn whether or not you should ground your outdoor TV antenna, and how to properly ground it.
Should you Ground your Outdoor TV antenna?
Yes, you should ground both the outdoor TV antenna and mast to minimize damage to your TV and other electronics in case of a lightning strike or the mast and antenna coming in contact with a live wire.
The Dangers You Face if The Antenna Is Not Grounded
The chances of a lightning strike causing damage are higher if the antenna or mast is not properly grounded.
Note: There is no guarantee that the TV or mast would survive a direct lightning strike.
The Advantages of proper Grounding
A proper ground connection helps channel energy from the lighting strike down the ground wire to the earth, away from the sensitive electronics and electricals that would otherwise suffer damage.
How to Ground an Outdoor Antenna?
While this is not intended to be a comprehensive guide on grounding, it can provide some tips on what should or shouldn’t be grounded.
Always consult a licensed electrician.
What to ground
- If you’re using an outdoor mast, make sure it is grounded
- The coaxial cable connection from the antennae to the TV should be grounded too.
The accessories you need
- At a minimum, three grounding clamps – one for the mast, one for the coaxial cable, and the third to be fixed onto the grounding rod.
- Two lengths of grounding wire long enough to connect both the mast and antenna to the grounding rod. Try to route the grounding wire along the shortest path possible.
How to Ground your Antenna and Mast
Always consult your local electrical codes.
#1. At a minimum, use 10 AWG wires as a grounding wire. Attach a grounding clamp to the mast then run the grounding wire from this clamp to the grounding rod.
#2. Connect one end of the coaxial cable from the antenna and the other to a grounding clamp mounted where the coaxial cable enters the house (if running it outside).
Run a grounding wire from this clamp to the grounding rode.
#3. Make sure to connect (bond) the outdoor aerial ground to the main electrical ground.
What other protective devices you can use for a TV?
In addition to grounding the outdoor antenna consider installing a surge protection device for extra protection.
Connect the coaxial cable from the antenna to the input connector of the surge protection device.
Connect another section of the coaxial cable from the output of the surge protection device to the TV.
The objective is to route the coaxial cable from the antenna through the device before connecting to the TV.
Related Questions
Should you Ground an Indoor Antenna?
You do not have to ground an antenna that is mounted indoors or if it is installed in the attic.
Closing Thoughts
You should always ground the outdoor antenna mast and the coaxial cable from the antenna to protect and minimize damage from lightning strikes.
In addition to grounding, consider routing the coaxial cable from the antenna through a surge protection device for extra protection.
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