Grounding Protectnet Surge Protector

[Anonymous user]

Hi, I'm considering purchasing the Protectnet Modem Surge Protector to help protect my Davis Vantage Pro2 weather station from lightning. The weather station uses an RJ-11 telephone cable that connects the outdoor sensors to the indoor console. I have an outdoor electrical outlet near the weather station that I could possibly use for a ground connection. Is the green ground wire on the Protectnet typically connected to an electrical outlet? If so, how is it connected? Where is the green wire typically connected?

http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=ptel2&tab=models

Message was edited by: mikeb

[BillP]

typically you'd connect it to a UPS or other device that has a specific "grounding screw" or "TVSS screw" or you'd attach it to the screw in a wall outlet receptacle to the screw in the center. refer to the picture i attached.

[Anonymous user]

Thank you for the information. It looks like connecting the green wire to the center screw of the outdoor electrical outlet should work fine. The Protectnet Surge Protector will be inside the plastic enclosure of my irrigation system controller. The green wire will run from the enclosure to the electrical outlet which is just a few inches away.

I used a volt meter to test the center screw for proper grounding and it passed the test. I used the following procedure to test the screw.

Three-Slot Receptacles Power Test
In order to test a three-slot receptacle, check for power between the large and small slot. Place the red lead into the small slot and the black lead into the larger slot.

Three-slot Receptacle Center Ground Screw Test
Once power is established, take the black lead out of the large slot and move it to center screw of the cover plate. The tester should light if the ground connection is good and the receptacle is connected properly.

[BillP]

sounds good to me!

[Anonymous user]

Thanks for the photo! I intuitively thought that that was where the ground should be connected, but wasn't sure.

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the great info on how to actually verify that the center screw of the electrical outlet is actually grounded for installation of the Protectnet Surge Protector!