Water Tank Best Practices

[turtles2]

What is the best way to install on a water tank? Do you have to worry about reflections if you are up top? What are some best practices I should use?

[sirhc]

I am on all kinds of water tanks! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DgFoDwmPSc

I am on top, and on some where I am on the railing around the tank.

Always use shield kits especially when on the railings as the tank acts as a reflector and bounces signals into the back of your antennas.

[turtles2]

What do you do for Cat5 switch at the top or runs to the bottom? I am having a hard time finding the brackets to attach the poles to the railings what are they called? Or do you think one could mount on the railings? Thanks for the video I was having a hard time finding the UBNT thread where that was posted.

[sirhc]

What do you do for Cat5 switch at the top or runs to the bottom?

In the video you see an employee punching down the pre-run 24 CAT5e cables that run from top to bottom in a 1.5" conduit from box up top to patch panel in equipment cabinet below.

I am having a hard time finding the brackets to attach the poles to the railings what are they called?

http://www.sitepro1.com
They are called cross over plates if mounting to the horizontal rails.
Or clam shells and all thread if mounting to the up rights.

Or do you think one could mount on the railings?

I do not suggest it, you want your pipe plum.

Thanks for the video I was having a hard time finding the UBNT thread where that was posted.

Can't help you there, they banned me!

[turtles2]

Yeah the ban is really their loss. How many lighting hits do you get a year on water towers?

[sirhc]

Yeah the ban is really their loss. How many lighting hits do you get a year on water towers?

None but I put a LOT into grounding.

I also use ZERO Ethernet surge protectors, HATE THEM

[rkelly1]

Chris - are you guys using punch down blocks at the top or terminating the cat 5 with shielded ends? We terminate everything w/shielded RJ45 and haven't thought about using a punchdown block. That might make life easier?

[sirhc]

We use (2) 24 port patch panels that look like 66 Blocks.

We just use standard indoor Cat5e running up the conduit.

Since our cable is inside conduit and we we have #2 green lashed to the outside of the conduit with copper grounding bus at every antenna cluster and every antenna connected to the ground bus with #6 and lugs. Then the antenna and radio is shrouded inside an aluminum shield. Then all out grounding is bonded to tower and service grounds and we have either a halo or a poor mans halo we really never lose any radios.

I think if the antenna / shield is grounded well the shield which is conductive helps shield the antenna and radio from ESD.