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Home > Archive > Home Repair forum > July 2005 > Got a nasty power surge, dead equipment
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Got a nasty power surge, dead equipment
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| CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert 2005-07-15, 4:25 am |
| Well I spoke too soon. Yesterday I was on my computer when I saw a
flash under my desk and heard a pop. Then I heard the rumble of
thunder. It was immediately clear they were related. My wife
downstairs saw something similar behind the TV.
My computer froze (or so it appeared) and I turned it off and on again.
it still worked but no internet. To make the story short, My router
and cable modem in the basement had many of their network plugs fried.
The cable modem had its only network plug fried, and my router had its
WAN port fried, and 2 of 4 LAN ports were fried.
The equipment is plugged into an outlet 1 foot away from my electrical
service panel. No Surge protector. But an alarm next to it and a co2
detector next to that were not damaged. After a bit of investigation I
have come to believe the surge came in on the cable TV line. Went into
my cable model, and out through the network cable and into my router.
And out of the router into the computer I was on, and another one
downstairs. (Neither computer was damaged)
I went outside, lo and behold there is my cable grounding block sans a
ground wire. IDIOTS!
Do I need to call an electrician to ground this thing? Should I call
the cable company and give them an ear full and the bill for my
equipment? Is this a code violation?
--
Respectfully,
CL Gilbert
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| Choreboy 2005-07-15, 12:25 pm |
| "CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert" wrote:
quote:
>
> Well I spoke too soon. Yesterday I was on my computer when I saw a
> flash under my desk and heard a pop. Then I heard the rumble of
> thunder. It was immediately clear they were related. My wife
> downstairs saw something similar behind the TV.
>
> My computer froze (or so it appeared) and I turned it off and on again.
> it still worked but no internet. To make the story short, My router
> and cable modem in the basement had many of their network plugs fried.
>
> The cable modem had its only network plug fried, and my router had its
> WAN port fried, and 2 of 4 LAN ports were fried.
>
> The equipment is plugged into an outlet 1 foot away from my electrical
> service panel. No Surge protector. But an alarm next to it and a co2
> detector next to that were not damaged. After a bit of investigation I
> have come to believe the surge came in on the cable TV line. Went into
> my cable model, and out through the network cable and into my router.
> And out of the router into the computer I was on, and another one
> downstairs. (Neither computer was damaged)
>
> I went outside, lo and behold there is my cable grounding block sans a
> ground wire. IDIOTS!
>
> Do I need to call an electrician to ground this thing? Should I call
> the cable company and give them an ear full and the bill for my
> equipment? Is this a code violation?
>
> --
> Respectfully,
>
> CL Gilbert
I've been told telcos ignore the electrical code and avoid inspections
by not getting work permits.
Today a neighbor told me that when he pointed out a code violation in
the electrical service to his house, a power-company representive
replied that the power company ignores electrical codes.
NEC 820.33 says your cable must be grounded as close as possible to its
entrance. NEC 820.40 says the grounding conductor should be insulated
14 AWG copper no longer than 20 feet. If it's more than 20 feet to your
main building grounding electrode, you drive an electrode for your cable
ground, then connect that electrode to your main grounding electrode
with 6 AWG copper.
I've read that it could cause problems for a cable company if their
cable were connected to a household ground. What's required is an
isolator (two baluns, for example) so that grounding your end doesn't
ground the whole cable system to your electrode. I suppose an isolator
costs a dollar or so, and the installer ignored the whole thing. Shocking!
At one time in Europe it was customary to display the detached heads of
certain malefactors on poles. Problems with lightning damage from
ungrounded CATV were not common in those days. Coincidence?
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"CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert" <CheckMyGPGKey@ThisOneIsFake.com> wrote in message
news:-rGdnc5cjKuJqkrfRVn-uw@comcast.com...
quote:
> Well I spoke too soon. Yesterday I was on my computer when I saw a
> flash under my desk and heard a pop. Then I heard the rumble of
> thunder. It was immediately clear they were related. My wife
> downstairs saw something similar behind the TV.
>
> My computer froze (or so it appeared) and I turned it off and on again.
> it still worked but no internet. To make the story short, My router
> and cable modem in the basement had many of their network plugs fried.
>
> The cable modem had its only network plug fried, and my router had its
> WAN port fried, and 2 of 4 LAN ports were fried.
>
> The equipment is plugged into an outlet 1 foot away from my electrical
> service panel. No Surge protector. But an alarm next to it and a co2
> detector next to that were not damaged. After a bit of investigation I
> have come to believe the surge came in on the cable TV line. Went into
> my cable model, and out through the network cable and into my router.
> And out of the router into the computer I was on, and another one
> downstairs. (Neither computer was damaged)
>
> I went outside, lo and behold there is my cable grounding block sans a
> ground wire. IDIOTS!
>
> Do I need to call an electrician to ground this thing? Should I call
> the cable company and give them an ear full and the bill for my
> equipment? Is this a code violation?
>
>
>
> --
> Respectfully,
>
>
> CL Gilbert
Ya it is a violation. Probably not much you can do about it now. When the
company installed my dish set up recently I checked to see if the installer
had run the ground wires. He had not. So I queried him on it and he said he
was not done. Later I checked and he had not scraped the paint away from
the clamp he had used. Back at him again.
Might be time to consider a whole house surge arrestor. And arrestors for
your phone and cable.
| |
| CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert 2005-07-15, 6:25 pm |
| SQLit wrote:
quote:
> "CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert" <CheckMyGPGKey@ThisOneIsFake.com> wrote in message
> news:-rGdnc5cjKuJqkrfRVn-uw@comcast.com...
>
>
>
> Ya it is a violation. Probably not much you can do about it now. When the
> company installed my dish set up recently I checked to see if the installer
> had run the ground wires. He had not. So I queried him on it and he said he
> was not done. Later I checked and he had not scraped the paint away from
> the clamp he had used. Back at him again.
> Might be time to consider a whole house surge arrestor. And arrestors for
> your phone and cable.
>
>
Well I wouldnt mind having one. Where can I find one? But surge
arresting and proper grounding are seperate issues right? I know the
arresting requires a proper power system grounding, but is the house
ground that goes to the water pipes and into the earth for surges/lightning?
--
Respectfully,
CL Gilbert
| |
| HorneTD 2005-07-15, 6:25 pm |
| CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert wrote:
quote:
> SQLit wrote:
>
>
> Well I wouldnt mind having one. Where can I find one? But surge
> arresting and proper grounding are seperate issues right? I know the
> arresting requires a proper power system grounding, but is the house
> ground that goes to the water pipes and into the earth for
> surges/lightning?
>
Any Square D distributer can provide a Surgebreaker plus. That will
combine protection for your telephone, TV cable, and power in a single
unit that is installed at the service equipment and uses the electrical
service grounding electrode system.
A low impedance path to ground is essential to surge protection
function. All wire carried utilities that enter your home must be
grounded to the same grounding system. When separate electrodes are
used they must be bonded to each other to prevent surges from grounding
through the very equipment you are trying to protect.
--
Tom Horne
"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous
for general use." Thomas Alva Edison
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| gfretwell@aol.com 2005-07-15, 6:25 pm |
| On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 13:07:20 -0400, "CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert"
<CheckMyGPGKey@ThisOneIsFake.com> wrote:
quote:
>I know the
>arresting requires a proper power system grounding, but is the house
>ground that goes to the water pipes and into the earth for surges/lightning?
Codes are minimal protection. The water pipe should still be
supplimented with another electrode by code tho. If you are serious
about protection you should build your own grounding system and bond
it to the existing one with #4 solid copper. At a minimum I would
drive two 8' rods, at least 6 feet apart, bonded together and to your
panel where the water pipe is bonded... Then be sure EVERYTHING
connects to the system
Cable, satellite, phone.
Then you can start think about buying protection devises.
BTW better is a buried copper ground ring that surrounds your house
but that may be excessive if you are not in lightning alley.
| |
| God@heaven.com 2005-07-16, 4:25 am |
| On Fri, 15 Jul 2005 00:09:53 -0400, "CL (dnoyeB) Gilbert"
<CheckMyGPGKey@ThisOneIsFake.com> wrote:
quote:
>Well I spoke too soon. Yesterday I was on my computer when I saw a
>flash under my desk and heard a pop. Then I heard the rumble of
>thunder. It was immediately clear they were related. My wife
>downstairs saw something similar behind the TV.
>
>My computer froze (or so it appeared) and I turned it off and on again.
> it still worked but no internet. To make the story short, My router
>and cable modem in the basement had many of their network plugs fried.
>
>The cable modem had its only network plug fried, and my router had its
>WAN port fried, and 2 of 4 LAN ports were fried.
>
>The equipment is plugged into an outlet 1 foot away from my electrical
>service panel. No Surge protector. But an alarm next to it and a co2
>detector next to that were not damaged. After a bit of investigation I
>have come to believe the surge came in on the cable TV line. Went into
>my cable model, and out through the network cable and into my router.
>And out of the router into the computer I was on, and another one
>downstairs. (Neither computer was damaged)
>
>I went outside, lo and behold there is my cable grounding block sans a
>ground wire. IDIOTS!
>
>Do I need to call an electrician to ground this thing? Should I call
>the cable company and give them an ear full and the bill for my
>equipment? Is this a code violation?
They will determine this an "Act of God". All you can do is sue God.
Have your lawyer send the bill to the following address.
God
1 Heavens Gate
Heaven, Heaven (there is no zipcode).
Or send email
God@heaven.com
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