Water Tower Grounding
Itron does not construct water towers. Therefore, network devices utilizing water towers
as antenna structures do not require the installation of a structure ground ring around the
leg of a water tower. The equipment BGR serves as the primary ground point for all Itron
equipment, antennas, coax, and cable tray.
Install coax ground kits as previously described.
To ground water towers
1. Install all sector ground bars at the top of the tank with stand-off (cherry) insulators
and connect separately with No. 2 AWG stranded insulated wire to a CGB at the top
of the vertical coax run.
2. Connect the upper and lower CGBs by one 4/0 AWG green insulated wire.
3. Install a lower CGB with stand-off (cherry) insulators at the bottom of the tank leg in
a similar manner as on a monopole or self-support antenna tower.
4. In the case of a skirted tank, install the lower CGB in a similar manner with stand-off
insulators mounted to the skirt.
5. Coordinate location with the tank owner and the Field Engineering team.
6. With the permission of the water tank owner, drive two ground rods as close to the
tank leg as possible. Connect the lower CGB to the ground rods using two No. 2
AWG BTCW.
7. Connect these ground rods to the equipment BGR using two buried No. 2 AWG
BTCW along the same path as the coax bridge.
8. If ground rods are not feasible, connect the lower CGB directly to the two runs of No.
2 AWG BTCW that run along the coax bridge and connect to the equipment BGR.
Ground the coax bridge as previously described.
Note The local Engineering firm is responsible for the proper design of the ground
system at water tanks requiring special considerations.
New Wooden and Concrete Antenna Poles
To ground new wooden and concrete antenna poles
1. Install a BGR that encircles the pole foundation. Construct the BGR in the same
manner as the Itron TCU / CCU equipment BGR except that four ground rods will be
installed 90 degrees apart.
2. Connect the pole and equipment BGRs using two buried runs of No. 2 AWG BTCW.
These connections should follow the same path as the coax bridge if possible.
Note Wooden and concrete poles do not connect directly to the BGR. The BGR will
be used to ground the coax and antennas ground bar at the base of the tower as
discussed later in this document.
TDC-0971-011 CCU 100 and Repeater 100 Installation Guide 115
Proprietary and Confidential
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