Contractor Talk - Construction and Remodeling Site
CLICK HERE AND JOIN OUR COMMUNITY TODAY...IT'S FREE!
Go Back   Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum > Trade Talk > Electrical > Low Voltage

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 10-03-2008, 07:22 PM   #1
Pro
 
ABLE1's Avatar
Trade: Security Alarm Installer (Low Voltage)
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 598
Fiber Optic Cable and Lightning Strike

On Wednesday it was said to me by a customer that a lightning bolt hit the fiber cable to their house and blew the Fiber box off the wall. Verizon had to replace the whole box.

It was stated to the customer by (I assume) the Verizon guy, that the lightning strike that hit a tree and blew out the ground from the tree in a line to across the driveway (some 30 feet long)to a point where the fiber is buried. This point is easily 1/4 mile from the house and followed it to the Fiber/Phone box blowing it off the wall and knocking out the phone service.

I had to replace the phone line protector that I had installed on the security panel. Panel was ok and functions with out a problem.

There a lot of "Say What's???" and "Really's??" in the story above.

The fiber runs on top of the underground power cables that run beside the driveway.

So what is your opinion???

Later,

Les

__________________
ABLE1
ABLE1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Warning: The topics covered on this site include activities in which there exists the potential for serious injury or death. ContractorTalk.com DOES NOT guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained on this site. Always use proper safety precaution and reference reliable outside sources before attempting any construction or remodeling task!

Join Contractor Talk

Join the #1 Contractor Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

ContractorTalk.com - Are you a Professional Contractor? If so we invite you to join our community and see what it has to offer. Our site is specifically designed for you and it's the leading place for contractors to meet online. No homeowners asking DIY questions. Just fellow tradesmen who enjoy talking about their business, their trade, and anything else that comes up. No matter what your trade is you'll find that ContractorTalk.com is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally free!

Join ContractorTalk.com - Click Here JOIN FOR FREE

Old 10-03-2008, 10:37 PM   #2
Pro
Trade: Low Voltage
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Burlington, Ontario
Posts: 1,218
Quote:
Originally Posted by ABLE1 View Post
So what is your opinion???
That they will say anything in order to pass the buck.

Was it a shielded fibre run? ZAP!
BuildingHomes is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2008, 10:42 PM   #3
Handle It!
 
MALCO.New.York's Avatar
Trade: Everything The Union Guys Do Not Want To Do
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Brooklyn, NY ~ Haverford, PA
Posts: 7,901
Electrons have specific, unbendable, exacting properties and behaviors. This said........Lightning is VERY unpredictable. VERY!
__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k1Ug...ture=rec-HM-r2
MALCO.New.York is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2008, 06:27 AM   #4
Pro
 
ABLE1's Avatar
Trade: Security Alarm Installer (Low Voltage)
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 598
Quote:
Originally Posted by BuildingHomes View Post
That they will say anything in order to pass the buck.

Was it a shielded fibre run? ZAP!

That I can't answer. The cable was installed new maybe 6-8 months ago. I don't know the specs other than Verizon did it with the new residential fiber stuff they are doing in the Phila., Pa area.

If that be true that it was shielded would it also be true that the shielding at the contact point would be fried as well and no longer effective?? This would warrant a new cable run??? This was not done. Yet!! Strange.

Les
__________________
ABLE1
ABLE1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2008, 06:28 AM   #5
Pro
 
ABLE1's Avatar
Trade: Security Alarm Installer (Low Voltage)
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 598
Quote:
Originally Posted by MALCO.New.York View Post
Electrons have specific, unbendable, exacting properties and behaviors. This said........Lightning is VERY unpredictable. VERY!

Agreed!!
__________________
ABLE1
ABLE1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-04-2008, 03:15 PM   #6
Pro Tech Advisor
 
Security101's Avatar
Trade: "Alarm Company" CCTV PERS GPS 24Hr LV AV
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 60
If their fiber has a "gopher shield" then maybe. If not than it probably came in "some other way"

Jim
Security101 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2008, 07:22 AM   #7
Synacom
Trade: Information Transport Systems Installer
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 29
If fiber is buried then I would assume it carries a metallic shielding component that could very well allow lightning to travel the length of the cable. I could also be that the electrical wires were the conductor of choice. Maybe that cable path through the earth just having a different dielectric constant from the solid earth was enough to induce the strike. If lightning can jump a mile or more through the air it can do pretty much what it wants regarding cables or equipment.
Synacom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-13-2008, 03:52 PM   #8
Fentoozler
 
Celtic's Avatar
Trade: Professional Pie and Pastry Taster
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,589
Electricity...or in this case lightning...is a phenomena that is not fully understood.
__________________


The UD is quite possibly man kinds finest accomplishment.
Celtic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2009, 12:11 AM   #9
Registered User
Trade: Residential/Comercial Electrical
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1
In response to "Electricity...or in this case lightning...is a phenomena that is not fully understood. "
I'm sorry but I have to comment that you ,Celtic, dont seem to know what your talking about. Electricity is not a phonomenon but a fully understood scientific princible of the movement of electrons through a conductor! The electrons "bounce" from atom to atom in a set path buy the force of Voltage like water down a river with a current of Amperage. Voltage times amperage creates Wattage or work like a water mill. Also Electricity will follow the path of least ressistance to ground like water moving from a high point to the lowest possible point available.
SGTTubb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2009, 06:36 PM   #10
Fentoozler
 
Celtic's Avatar
Trade: Professional Pie and Pastry Taster
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,589
Quote:
Originally Posted by SGTTubb View Post
In response to "Electricity...or in this case lightning...is a phenomena that is not fully understood. "
I'm sorry but I have to comment that you ,Celtic, dont seem to know what your talking about. Electricity is not a phonomenon but a fully understood scientific princible of the movement of electrons through a conductor! The electrons "bounce" from atom to atom in a set path buy the force of Voltage like water down a river with a current of Amperage. Voltage times amperage creates Wattage or work like a water mill. Also Electricity will follow the path of least ressistance to ground like water moving from a high point to the lowest possible point available.
Thanks for replying to a post that's over 6 mths old!


Since you haven't a clue ...I'll point you in the right direction...
Electricity will follow the path of least ressistance to ground

Electricity will take ALL PATHS back to it's source.



When you get another clue....don't be afraid to speak up ~ I'll let you know you're wrong
__________________


The UD is quite possibly man kinds finest accomplishment.
Celtic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2009, 05:38 PM   #11
DiscountLowVoltage.com
Trade: low voltage wiring
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 12
I've never heard of a shielded fiber cable, after 12 years of fiber experience. I've heard of armored, also I don't think electricity will travel down the fiber since fiber dose not conduct an electrical current.
msalinas is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to msalinas For This Useful Post:
MALCO.New.York (07-21-2009)
Old 08-10-2009, 11:26 PM   #12
Electronics Expert
Trade: My Trade: Too many to list here :)
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Wood Dale, IL
Posts: 38
One of the advantages to fiber is that it does NOT contain ANY kind of materials that would conduct electricity. That's like having a plastic cable powering your vacuum cleaner...
wireaudio is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off





Top of Page | View New Posts


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:48 PM.


Contractor Talk™ © 2003 - 2009 The Building Network LLC