Using S/FTP CAT6A for POE outdoor run - do I need to ground it?

[AdTee]

Hi all,

I wonder if you can help me with this pls?

I'm installing a wifi PTZ against a tree in the garden to use as a wildlife cam. It's powered by a 12vdc plug, so i'm going to power it via POE from the mains socket in my shed using 12v adapter/splitters at either end of the 30m cable run. I've ordered a reel of external copper CAT6A S/FTP but I'm confused about earthing. I understand I could cause a ground loop by earthing at both ends - do our UK mains plugs act as one of these earths? If not, do I need to add something like a Ubiquiti surge protector for lightning risks (and if so, how do I actually ground that)?

I'm also attaching a wireless access point to the outside of the shed (also plugged into mains via a supplied POE injector and connected to the router in the house via powerline adapters) and I'm wondering whether that also needs further grounding?

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks.

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[Phil]

The grounding of the screen or foil of data cables is intended to help prevent signal noise impact on the data cables. As you are not transmitting data to the PTZ camera (only POE power), then it's academic really. Ground it at the shed-end only, if you wish.

BTW - what's the distance shed to PTZ?
Wondering why you are running a network cable but using wifi?
Obviously a copper cable network connection tends to always be more reliable than wifi.

You can ground the data to the wifi receiver mounted on the shed at the same point.
NB - for that screen ground to carry across devices to the wifi receiver you will need to use screened RJ45 plugs.

Lightning arresters is always an interesting debate.
Lightning is phenomenally powerful and destroys all in its path, so the arresters are effectively sacrificial devices intended to be blown-up but prevent lightning reaching into your home / network and damaging other devices.

The device has a cost.

Lightning strikes to CCTV devices are actually pretty rare.

 

[AdTee]

Thanks for your advice, Phil.

The PTZ is a Tapo c510 wifi only cam. Distance from shed to cam is about 30m.

I was looking at the Ubiquiti eth-sp-g2 but the biggest unknown for me was how to ground them. This is the first UK vid I've found where someone actually uses a ground rod:

If I used a rod like this, I'd definitely do as you suggested and only add grounds externally at the shed end.