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I live in an area with frequent lightning strikes. Occasionally people get killed due to those - specially when strikes enter house through TV antenna cables. My house is quite tall and seems to be the tallest building in this area. I have one lightning protector installed already. I wish to install some TV and satellite antennas on the roof of the house but very worried about possibility of lightning strikes entering the house through these cables. I am currently thinking about passing each cable through a two pole isolator switch which would allow me to switch off the isolator when lightning occur. Does this sound like a good option? Or are there better options available?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ some lightning strikes without a warning .... you may not be able to flip the switch in time or you may get injured while flipping the switch ...... google cable tv lightning arrestor \$\endgroup\$
    – jsotola
    Commented Jan 25, 2019 at 4:23
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    \$\begingroup\$ Can you show a block diagram with dimensions of your present lightning protect and surrounds such as treetops? Is this in Florida or Tornado Alley? There are better options to protect. The best I know is a blunt paladium tip with a 30 degree cone over the roof to Sat TV type coax centre conductor to deep earth with hot zinc steel deep enough to moist earth < 100 Ohms year round. For a long roof multiple rods. WIth open space a taller flag pole with same conductors. \$\endgroup\$
    – D.A.S.
    Commented Jan 25, 2019 at 4:46
  • \$\begingroup\$ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/… 30 deg cone \$\endgroup\$
    – D.A.S.
    Commented Jan 25, 2019 at 4:51
  • \$\begingroup\$ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_rod \$\endgroup\$
    – D.A.S.
    Commented Jan 25, 2019 at 4:58
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    \$\begingroup\$ Please understand that a powerful lightning bolt, especially positive charged ones that come from the top of the clouds, have so much power that a direct hit can blow apart thick oak trees. Blow holes in roofs. Hospitals use many lightning rods of plated copper with heavy gauge wire between each rod and many runs to many ground rods. But of course here in Florida it is built into their construction budget. \$\endgroup\$
    – user105652
    Commented Jan 25, 2019 at 5:50

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Make sure the antenna pole is grounded. Disconnect the antenna plug during thunderstorms, and all should be fine. You cannot of course prevent damage from a direct hit. I would also recommend physically unplugging (not just switching off) expensive electronics, both from power line and telephone line (e.g. DSL modems). Lightning arcs will easily jump over at least two switched off mains switches (in series).

Most lightning surge protection systems exist to suppress surges when lightnings strike some distance away (many hundred meters away). If there is a direct strike on your building, it will probably end up with a hole in the roof and a broken water tank. This is what building lightning arrestors protect against. A grounded antenna pole might do this job.

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