Line Protector - CCTV

Lightning and EMP are tough to defend against. So here's a starting point:

What type of external wiring? I'm going to assume you mean the cctv camera's video and power lines.

First of all you need a central grounding point with a SUBSTAINTIAL (8 foot copper) grounding rod. There needs to be NO part of the system which could create a ground loop. Otherwise you basicly have created a secondary winding for an air core transformer with the lightning being the primary side.

Either use double sheilded QUALITY cables and ground the outer sheild to the central ground point. Or use a metal conduit and ground it at the ground point. BE SURE to ground only that one end at the rod.

Your equipment ground should also go to the rod and use a large gauge wire to ground them. I would recommend using an isolation transformer like Sola with a filter and MOV's on the input and MOV's on the output.

Don't forget the surge suppression on the equipment!!! The larger Joule rating the better and make sure it has a filter and MOV's. There should be MOV's across the line and from the hot and neutral to ground.

The power feeding all the camera's (or other external devices) needs to come from the same feed as the recording equipment.

Also adding properly rated MOV's on the DC supply of each camera would be advisible.

This is not an easy thing to prevent. Good Luck!

I agree with Bill H. Also, you may try in-line surge supressors like in: http://eclipspts.com/cctvvideolinecoaxialhybridin-lineseriessurgesuppressors.aspx