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How to Protect Your Helium Hotspot From Lightning Strikes

An outdoor antenna on a mast is often the highest metal point on a building, and the coaxial cable gives a surge a direct path to your hotspot and into the house. Nothing can make an antenna immune to a direct strike, but good grounding, a properly placed lightning arrestor and a few simple installation habits greatly reduce the risk of damage from nearby strikes and static build-up. This guide covers the basics for Helium hotspots and LoRaWAN gateways.

Safety first: grounding and bonding are electrical work. Follow your local electrical code (in Canada, the Canadian Electrical Code and any provincial rules) and have a licensed electrician do or check the grounding. Never install or work on an antenna during a storm, and keep masts well clear of power lines.

What a lightning arrestor does

A coaxial lightning arrestor (also called a surge arrestor or surge protector) sits in line on the antenna cable. Under normal conditions it passes the radio signal with very little loss. When a surge arrives on the cable, a gas discharge element inside it conducts and diverts the surge to its ground terminal, and from there through a ground conductor to earth, instead of letting it travel on to your hotspot. An arrestor only works if it is properly grounded: an arrestor with no ground connection gives little or no protection.

1. Ground the mast

• Bond the antenna mast or pole to the building's grounding electrode system with a heavy copper ground conductor, sized as your local code requires.
• Run the ground conductor as short and straight as possible, with gentle bends rather than sharp ones. Surges don't like corners.
• If a separate ground rod is used at the mast, it must be bonded to the building's main electrical ground. Separate, unbonded grounds can make things worse.
• Use corrosion-resistant clamps rated for grounding, and keep the connections clean and tight.

2. Put the arrestor in the right place

• Install the arrestor outdoors, where the coaxial cable enters the building, before the cable comes inside. That way a surge is diverted before it reaches the wall, the hotspot or your home wiring.
• Connect the arrestor's ground terminal to the same grounding system as the mast with its own short, direct ground conductor.
• Mount the arrestor on a grounded bracket or plate so it is held firmly and the ground path is solid.
• Don't rely on the arrestor alone. It works together with the mast ground; neither replaces the other.

3. Add a drip loop

Water is the other enemy of an outdoor install. Before the cable reaches the arrestor and the entry point, let it dip down into a U-shaped drip loop so rain runs off the bottom of the loop instead of following the cable into connectors or through the wall. Point connectors downward where you can, and seal every outdoor connector with self-amalgamating tape or a weatherproofing boot.

4. Check connectors after storms

After a major storm, or at least twice a year, take a look at the outdoor parts:

• Check connectors for corrosion, water inside, loose fittings or burn marks.
• Inspect the arrestor and its ground connection. Replace an arrestor that shows damage or scorching, or after a known nearby strike.
• Make sure ground clamps are still tight and the conductor isn't damaged.
• Confirm the hotspot is online and working as usual. A sudden drop in performance can point to a damaged cable or connector.

A no-adaptor setup that works

Every extra adaptor adds signal loss and another place for water to get in, so it pays to choose parts whose connectors mate directly. This chain needs no adaptors:

1. McGill Microwave 6 dBi tuned antenna (N-male connector), mounted on an L-type wall mounting pole.
2. LMR-400 coaxial cable, N-female to N-male: the N-female end goes on the antenna, the N-male end into the arrestor.
3. Laird Lightning Surge Arrestor (N-female on both sides), outdoors at the entry point and grounded.
4. 1 m window pass-through cable, N-male to RP-SMA male: the N-male end goes into the arrestor, and the cable passes flat through a closed window or door to the hotspot inside.

Find more mounts and arrestors in our Antenna Accessories collection. Not sure which arrestor, cable and mount fit your setup? Try our free Antenna Setup Planner.

Also useful, from Amazon.ca

We don't stock these items. We may earn a small commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Mapping Network earns from qualifying purchases.

• 3M Scotch 2228 rubber mastic tape on Amazon.ca, for sealing outdoor connectors against rain and ice.

FAQ

Does a Helium antenna need a lightning arrestor?
An outdoor antenna should have a grounded lightning arrestor and a grounded mast. An antenna kept indoors usually doesn't need one.

Will a lightning arrestor protect my hotspot from a direct strike?
No device can guarantee that. A grounded arrestor and mast reduce the risk of damage, especially from nearby strikes and static build-up, but a direct strike can still damage equipment.

Where should the lightning arrestor go?
Outdoors, where the cable enters the building, connected to the same grounding system as the mast. Have a licensed electrician confirm the grounding meets local code.

Can I use an arrestor without a ground wire?
No. The arrestor needs a ground connection to divert a surge. Without one it gives little or no protection.

Should I unplug my hotspot during a thunderstorm?
If you are home and it is safe to do so before the storm arrives, disconnecting the antenna cable and power adds an extra margin. Never touch outdoor cables or the mast during a storm.