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When a cable box is not grounded

Ok on the 18th of May I had cable internet installed into my house. The installer was nice and friendly and even up sold me to cable tv and home phone and the internet for less then what I was paying now with att and direct tv.

So with that said he went about installing my internet feed. He had to run a cable from the junction box on the street through my neighbors yard and into my yard then to the house. 

After all was said and done he discussed with me the new services I would recieve and set up install times.

Ok with that done I was very happy with 3x the speed of what my dsl offered.

Now we jump forward a few days. The exact time frame escapes me. But on the fatal day it was storm something fierce. Lighting and thunder all morning coming down in buckets.

So I went home on my break to check my email and jump on eggxper and what do I find but the power was out in the house and my cable modem was lying on the ground in pieces. As you can see that shot. Took a direct hit. Look at the connector on it its charred.Well my comp would not turn on. I blew a gasket lol. I do everything on my comp pay my bills chat on eggxpert help the noobs with there builds chat with friends and family.

Now I went out to inspect the box where it comes into my house and what do I discover its not bloody grounded. This is the box on the side of my house. I then further investigate the line and I find it blown apart at one point.

So with my handy iphone and its cam I proceeded to take a bunch of pics of this so I can file a claim and to make sure the installer doesn't try and deny anything.

Oh I do have to say my comp was plugged into a ups unit but was advised by the cable people not to plug the coax into it as it caused signal degradation. So I didn't. So since the modem got fried the surge came into the comp via the network cable and caused who knows what damage.

Long story short. The cable company is picking up the tab to replace what is blown in my comp. I took it to a shop to have it looked at as I don't have a spare psu to test with. They will pay for everything.

So let this enlighten you to the fact that if any one is getting a cable install for tv internet or phone or all of it then make sure to the box on your house is properly grounded as if its not it could very well cause the damage that I have experienced.

 

Published 30 May 09 01:55 by sparker366
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Comments

# root said on June 8, 2009 1:52 PM:

Ouch. Glad that they didn't try and shaft you though. Always the silver lining.

I'm about to cave in and get FIOS. I'll have to keep this in mind.

# Blog Picks said on June 9, 2009 11:15 AM:

When a cable box is not grounded Sparker366 relays his harrowing tale of an ungrounded DSL cable box,

# FascistNation said on June 9, 2009 3:08 PM:

Improperly grounded may very well have made for a less satisfactory experience with your cable modem.  But it would not have saved you from a direct hit from lightening.  I am glad a house fire did not ensue.  

But you should unplug anything you care about during a lightening storm as even UPS and surge suppressors cannot cope with the enormous spikes in energy released by a bolt of lightening.  

I find it hard to believe your computer is still working.  Now that is a miracle.  Also those network cable surge suppressors on UPS boxes use some of the weakest MOVs I have seen.  Not much protection...but you ought to test your speeds with and without it plugged in as I have never seen a diminishment from running it through one--but I am sure it is quite possible.  I use them on my connections.  Keep in mind the Ethernet 100 is way able to keep up with a cable modem speed (bandwidth).

# PapaHomer said on June 9, 2009 3:55 PM:

Well said FascistNation.  Always refreshing to hear from a brother who knows ...and speaks the truth.

I'll have to dig up the local story about a cable installation gone awry...unbelievable.

Thanks for sharing Sparker...and glad your losses were limited.

# pizzaboy192 said on July 3, 2009 5:25 PM:

OUCH!

I'm lucky that all that happened in mine was a nice bonfire in the PSU... nothing that serious.

# Loeteke said on July 11, 2009 12:00 PM:

Similar story of mine:

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/537337.aspx

# computergeek485 said on July 15, 2009 7:11 PM:

As Fascist makes a semi-valid point, it has to be also considered that with it properly grounded the drop in voltage from the shock would have been enough to make the damage stop with just hitting the modem. Having it grounded would have severely limited the damage and possibly eliminated it.

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