JValdes,

If the gazebo isn't grounded in any way, I'd drive a ground rod to prevent a static charge from building up and reduce the chance of a lightning strike. If you can bond it to the ground wire in your branch circuit, that should be fine for this purpose, and I wouldn't bother with an additional rod. Best thing you can do is solidly bond the gazebo to the IMC/RMC you ran the wiring in, as it will double as a supplemental grounding electrode.

The rod might help a small bit, but rod or not, if the gazebo takes a direct strike, everything electronic in your house will be fried, including the TVSS- they're great against a hit down the street, but simply can't withstand the magnitude of a direct strike. Even if the gazebo isn't connected electrically, the lightning will arc to it, and it's close enough that the EMP will couple right into every wire in your house and fry it from the inside.


Last edited by SteveFehr; 04/16/08 12:16 PM.