Surge Protector Installation in Open Areas: Military Camp Lightning Protection

The Necessity of Ethernet Surge Protectors in Military Camps

Ensuring Real-Time Monitoring

Military bases are often situated in expansive open areas, making their equipment susceptible to lightning threats. While real-time monitoring is crucial for military bases, surge protectors play the role of an essential safeguard. Furthermore, such areas might contain explosive and flammable materials, emphasizing the importance of protecting against lightning-induced damages on a larger scale.

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Preventing Severe Lightning Strikes in Open Areas

In military bases, the perimeter walls often have wire mesh for internal security. Paradoxically, this wire mesh can become a conduit for surges in open areas, leading to a cascade of equipment failures. Thus, ensuring proper grounding for all surge protectors to divert lightning surges underground is essential to provide optimal protection.

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Why Are Devices More Vulnerable to Lightning Damage in Open Areas? (Taiwan as an Example)

Low Building Density and Less Lightning Protection

Outdoor areas in suburban regions generally have fewer buildings and constructions with less robust lightning protection systems. Consequently, lightning surges are less likely to be efficiently directed underground, increasing the possibility of equipment damage on the surface.

In contrast, most buildings in densely constructed areas feature lightning protection structures, including lightning rods and grounding systems, to mitigate damage caused by lightning strikes. Not only buildings but utility poles and cables have more sophisticated lightning protection. Hence, in densely constructed areas, it is easier for surges to be channeled underground, and thus less lightning damage is caused to urban areas.

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Higher Lightning Density in Mountainous and Coastal Areas

Statistics on lightning density in Taiwan show that mountainous and coastal regions experience higher lightning density compared to flatlands.

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Stricter Lightning Protection Standards in Mountainous and Suburban Areas

Take Taiwan as an example. A rule established by the Institute of Electrical Engineers in Taiwan for grounding and surge elimination equipment was revised in 2020, which reveals that standards for discharge capacity, maximum discharge quantity, and maximum impulse capacity are higher in mountainous and suburban areas than in urban areas. While the outdoor current capacity is not differentiated in the regulations, SC&T's practical cases indicate that suburban outdoor surge protectors require replacement at a rate ten times that of urban areas.

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SC&T Ethernet Surge Protector Solution

A local government aimed to replace traditional analog cameras with network cameras equipped with Power over Ethernet (PoE) capability. The total number of required surge protectors reached tens of thousands, to be installed around more than 100 military camps.

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Surge Protector Installation

SC&T's surge protectors were installed around the camp perimeter. Since surges tend to travel towards areas of low resistance, predicting the direction of surges is challenging. Professional advice recommends installing surge protectors at both ends of the equipment to better defend against surge damage. The camera end is placed within the camera case, while the equipment end is installed inside the outdoor junction box.

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Achievement: Drastically Cut Costs

Reduced camera annual damage count to 70 units

According to SC&T records, the initial damage rate of cameras was approximately 5% after installation, leading to over 500 camera failures. Most of these failures were concentrated in suburban areas, often during the rainy season. Therefore, the PoE surge protectors were installed.

Following the installation of appropriate surge protectors, the camera damage rate in the previously most affected areas dropped to below 0.7%, saving cameras of over 400 units annually. This significantly reduces the time, manpower, and financial costs of post-project maintenance, replacement, and repairs.

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Explore more Surge Portector products: IP/PoE Surge Protector Solution

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Why Do I Need Surge Protectors? System Integrator's Choice & Recommendations

Surge protectors offer exceptional value for their low cost. Based on SC&T's experience, their expense constitutes only 5-8% of the total equipment cost, yet they prevent many subsequent maintenance expenses and time costs.

SC&T has compiled recommendations regarding surge protector usage from integrator and distributor partners in Asia and summarized them below.

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Ensure Normal Equipment Operation

While cameras often contain surge components, surges can still damage these components, and you will have to dismantle and send the cameras back to the manufacturer for repairs. Although repairing surge-damaged components within warranty incurs low costs, the damaged cameras cannot operate during that period. This might cause inconvenience to both the integrator and the client. Compared to removing and reinstalling the cameras, replacing surge protectors is much more efficient.

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80% of Outdoor Camera Damage Comes from Surges

Statistics show that 80% of outdoor camera damage is caused by surges. Other factors include heavy rain and biological factors. Thus, surge protectors are highly recommended for open outdoor cameras, substantially reducing maintenance and repair costs.

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Areas That Benefit Most from Surge Protector Installation

Surge protectors are best suited for open, expansive areas or near eaves.

• Open, expansive areas
  Installing surge protectors is highly recommended for such areas, reducing equipment damage rates by 70%.

• Eaves, the edge of roofs
  Eaves have been a challenge; although connected to the building, they may lack grounding systems. Additionally, metal conductors on roofs can facilitate surge passage. Damage rates for cameras on eaves were notably high until surge protectors were installed to control the damage rate.

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Areas Where Surge Protectors Are Less Necessary

• Adjacent to buildings
  If cameras are structurally connected to buildings, surge-related issues are less concerning since the building's grounding offers relative safety.

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Real-Time Lightning Map

To learn the lightning density in your area, many online platforms can be used to observe real-time data. For example, the Real-Time Lightning Map offers real-time lightning data as well as historical records. Users can cross-reference equipment damage dates to see if there are nearby lightning occurrences.

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SC&T FAE Consultation

SC&T is dedicated to promoting high-quality surge protectors to our consumers. If you encounter any difficulties or challenges with your projects, you can contact our professionals for assistance or product requirement by simply fill in the inquiry form below.

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Learn more about:
How to Choose an Ethernet Surge Protector for Security Cameras and Network Equipment?
Surge Protection for CCTV and Pro AV Equipment and Its 4 Technologies

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