Re: why ground an alarm panel.

["Robertm" <Respond@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Bill" <bill190nospam@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3vm23mF16jrh2U1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Many years ago, telephones were wired with 3 wires. The 3rd was a ground.
>
> Well they stopped running that ground wire inside the house.
>
> I think they figured out that if these is no ground inside the house
> associated with the phone system, then the lightning would stay outside?
>
> Hard wired alarm systems have a different problem in that all the wires
> running all over the place can act as an antenna, and a nearby lightning
> strike can "induce" voltage in the wiring.
>
> The question I have would be; is there "built into the alarm circuit
> board" surge protection for the wiring on each zone, surge protection for
> the phone line, and surge protection for the AC power lines?
>
> And if there is surge protection in the form of zeiner diodes or MOV's, do
> these short to the ground connection on the panel in the case of a surge?
> (In which case I would think it would be better to provide a ground wire.
> However if the ground connection is just going to the common or negative
> wiring on the panel, then I would think it would be best not to connect a
> ground as this would just be "lightning bait" to attract lightning to
> travel *through* all the circuits on the board [rather than bypassing
> them] and fry everything!)
>

My Ademco manual says the ground must be connected to conform to UL specs.
My insurance company says my alarm system must conform to UL specs for the
discount. I grounded it.

Bob