Waterproofing ICE Antenna Impulse Suppressors

[N8EUI]

Hi there,

I'll be installing my ICE impulse suppressors outside, next to my coax entrance at my house.  Do I need to waterproof the suppressors?  Should I run a narrow bead of silicone around the perimeter of them?  Or should I install the suppressors in some kind of enclosure?  I'll be mounting the suppressors onto the ICE mounting fixture.  The mounting fixture is a piece of aluminum bar stock with threaded holes for attaching the suppressors onto it.  The suppressor/fixture is then mounted directly onto the top of my 5/8" ground rod.  Any helpful suggestions?

Thanks,
Tom, N8EUI

[WS4E]

Use a NEMA enclosure and mount them to a copper plate, which is also connected directly to the ground is the best thing to do.    This gets you started on putting in what people call a "SINGLE POINT GROUND" system which is a good thing to shoot for.

Get a box that will hold two of the ICE units because you know...once you have one antenna....your gonna want another.

DX Engineering has some nice ones, I used one almost exactly like what they have....I ordered a pack of the waterproof cable feeds from them that they use on their boxes and they work great.

http://www.dxengineering.com/Products.asp?ID=212&SecID=112&DeptID=19


Their box is not a bad price, but I found one surplus that worked for me.

[K9KJM]

Commercial tower sites (And my own and many other hams) Have the "Single Point Ground" panel just INSIDE the building where the coax enters the building, So no type of weatherproofing is needed.

If you put it outdoors, The idea of some type of waterproof box is a good one. Make the box & panel large enough for future arrestors.

[KF6A]

I'm using I.C.E. suppressors mounted on their bus bar and installed directly on a ground rod. I built a little wooden box to house them but it is not waterproof, it just keeps it out of the direct weather.