Lightning and Phone-30 modules

[kristiandg]

Over the past 6 months, we've had a site (in Atlanta) that gets hit by lightning quite often. When they do, it kills either one or both of the Phone-30 Analog Station modules installed at the site. The phones that leave the building and go onto the dock (yes, with a metal roof) are all lightning protected. Ground has been verified.

I'm thinking its actually static discharge from the lightning hit sneaking back into the analog modules, which wouldn't blow a lightning protector. The module still functions, but looses its flash code.

We're now looking at the "special" lightning protection for the IPO, but the reason we didn't do it initially is because I thought the only thing that made it "special" was that it had modular connectors on it, just like the system itself.

Anyone experience this before or have recommendations?

 

[Nokarro]

Is any of the extensions outdoors ?

 

[kristiandg]

On a dock with a metal roof, but lightning protected on both ends. Also keep in mind there are digital phones out there as well, that never get affected. I think its a weakness in the analog mods.

Kris

 

[Nokarro]

We had quite a lot on Analog modules going down as well.

 

[CarGoSki]

Typical. Apparently lightning is not a big factor in England since the essentials of grounding were missed when the IPO was built. Been there, done that. Avaya finally did patch the circuit boards with ground leads but analog boards and the IPO in general is weak at managing electrical occurances. IMO there are not enough hardware components in the box to manage the situation sufficiently.

You could convert stations to digital or IROB the extension ports. Naturally each module needs to be grounded along with the rack.

 

[kristiandg]

I don't believe the issue is a direct lightning hit, but rather the static discharge when a bolt hits nearby. Has anyone thought of using a SNEAK FUSE PROTECTOR, like on the Definity CO lines?

Thoughts???

Kris

 

[dontworx]

I Know you may have verified your ground, but I would try taking it off of the IP office it might be sneaking up the ground. I would then put a portasystems lightning protection right infront the analog station mudule with delta modules in it and see if that helps?

 

[kristiandg]

We did suspect ground, so the last time we were there, I measured voltage. Just a wee-bit out of spec, so we ran our own coldwater ground. That was well within spec, but we still had the same issue. I've got some "Avaya recommended" lightning protection coming (panamax) only so that when that doesn't work, I can send Avaya in to make fix it.

Portasystems Block-modules directly after the unit are already installed, and at the terminating end (on the feed).

Kris G.

 

[dontworx]

Put the deltamodules in the portasystems they will blow at lower voltages.

 

[cg11]

Did the Panamax protection fix your problem?