Cable issue or wiring issue?

theatretch85 · 08-20-2008, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob22

theatretch85:
If all breakers are off, I would think that there should not be any voltage reading between any of the outlet slots assuming no wiring issues or backfeeding through neutral. Where is this thinking wrong?
Thanks,
Bob22

Right, I was thinking when the power is on. It would probably be a good idea to check that to make sure the ground really is a ground at zero potential along with the neutral. If there is power between the neutral (wide blade on outlet) and ground, then theres a problem in the electrical system.

Try checking the voltage between the neutral and the coax and see what you get.

Pudge565 · 08-20-2008, 10:33 PM

Im thinking bootleg ground with open neutral.

jrclen · 08-21-2008, 09:00 AM

It is entirely possible the coax is shorted to another electric service and the electricity is using the OP's grounding system as a path back to where ever it is coming from.

Now the OP threw in the refrigerator/sink problem. I'd like to know the voltage reading between the coax and the sink. Do we have an energized plumbing system also? This is getting more interesting every day.

Duchey · 08-21-2008, 09:10 PM

TADA!!!! Thanks in part to you fine gentlemen the problem has been solved. Any bets on what it was?

If you said open ground then you've just won my eternal respect!

Wow, four years living with that problem and just now getting it fixed. Lucky no one got hurt.

SD515 · 08-21-2008, 09:30 PM

Awesome Duchey !!

I'm glad you are able to live through it...seriously !

Open ground, eh?? Where??

My money was on open/loose neutral. Do I win at least some of the pot??

jrclen · 08-22-2008, 11:53 AM

I'd like to know more about this. Open ground? Nothing else wrong? That doesn't sound quite right. Are you sure someone didn't say open grounded conductor? That would be a neutral and make sense.

I am happy for you that the problem has been fixed no matter what it was.

Duchey · 08-23-2008, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrclen

I'd like to know more about this. Open ground? Nothing else wrong? That doesn't sound quite right. Are you sure someone didn't say open grounded conductor? That would be a neutral and make sense.

I am happy for you that the problem has been fixed no matter what it was.

I'm with ya on that one. I don't know if I buy the story from the LL or not.

I'm betting it was something far more serious and he's just not telling me.

SD515 · 08-24-2008, 10:55 AM

Yeah Duchey, it sounds like you got a generic answer from your LL. I agree with what JR said, and would like to know what the actual fix was. It help us in our future diagnosis.

Duchey · 09-09-2008, 10:57 AM

Wow, took me a while to digg this one back up.
I cornered the LL a few days ago and finally got him to give me the whole story. Apparently the ground had been wired hot the whole time

. He said that the wires had gotten "mixed up" at the main box back when the place was re-wired.
Darn lucky the place never burnt down.

capuchin · 12-14-2008, 12:00 PM

Can I ask...what was the outcome with the cable company and the wiring? I am having a very similar issue, however we are getting 120V intermittently off the cable line when it is not connected to the house. When it is hooked up to the house then we get intermittent readings of 120V through the cable jack in our living room. I also have recently been through 2 cable boxes and fried a TV and the cable technician was shocked 3 times on his trip to troubleshoot our cable problems. He claimed that it was the television that had the problem. However, I'm not sure how that is possible considering he first was shocked outside the house while changing out the coax. Any more information would be helpful since the next technician is coming this Tuesday and I'm not entirely confident they will be able to assess and fix the problem.
Thanks!!

InPhase277 · 12-14-2008, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capuchin

Can I ask...what was the outcome with the cable company and the wiring? I am having a very similar issue, however we are getting 120V intermittently off the cable line when it is not connected to the house. When it is hooked up to the house then we get intermittent readings of 120V through the cable jack in our living room. I also have recently been through 2 cable boxes and fried a TV and the cable technician was shocked 3 times on his trip to troubleshoot our cable problems. He claimed that it was the television that had the problem. However, I'm not sure how that is possible considering he first was shocked outside the house while changing out the coax. Any more information would be helpful since the next technician is coming this Tuesday and I'm not entirely confident they will be able to assess and fix the problem.
Thanks!!

Maybe an Admin will make this a thread another thread?

If you are reading 120 V on the coax to ground, before it is attached to your house, then there is a line cross somewhere and the cable company's ground has failed upstream of your house. That's what the next technician needs to be told.

AllanJ · 12-14-2008, 02:25 PM

What would likely have happened if you had grounded the offending cable shield and left it (bonded) that way.

Often I have suggested that amplifiers, DVD players, etc. be bonded to each other and ground. This is done by being daisy chaining to a wire running among them with appropriate screw connections penetrating the various chassis and with the far end of the wire connected to a known ground.

jrclen · 12-15-2008, 02:34 PM

I agree with Inphase. There is more to this than meets the eye. A ground, or the cable outer jacket should have no voltage potential. None. We could eliminate the ground completely and never notice the difference in a properly operating system. Electricity always wants to return to it's source, not to the earth.

08-20-2008, 10:33 PM	#47
Pudge565 Electrician's Helper Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 202	Cable issue or wiring issue? Im thinking bootleg ground with open neutral.

08-21-2008, 09:00 AM	#48
jrclen Licensed Electrician Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: central wisconsin Posts: 981	Cable issue or wiring issue? It is entirely possible the coax is shorted to another electric service and the electricity is using the OP's grounding system as a path back to where ever it is coming from. Now the OP threw in the refrigerator/sink problem. I'd like to know the voltage reading between the coax and the sink. Do we have an energized plumbing system also? This is getting more interesting every day. __________________ John

08-21-2008, 09:10 PM	#49
Duchey Newbie Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 18	Cable issue or wiring issue? TADA!!!! Thanks in part to you fine gentlemen the problem has been solved. Any bets on what it was? If you said open ground then you've just won my eternal respect! Wow, four years living with that problem and just now getting it fixed. Lucky no one got hurt. Last edited by Duchey; 08-21-2008 at 09:14 PM.

08-21-2008, 09:30 PM	#50
SD515 Electrician Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Near Jackson Michigan Area Posts: 1,449	Cable issue or wiring issue? Awesome Duchey !! I'm glad you are able to live through it...seriously ! Open ground, eh?? Where?? My money was on open/loose neutral. Do I win at least some of the pot??

08-22-2008, 11:53 AM	#51
jrclen Licensed Electrician Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: central wisconsin Posts: 981	Cable issue or wiring issue? I'd like to know more about this. Open ground? Nothing else wrong? That doesn't sound quite right. Are you sure someone didn't say open grounded conductor? That would be a neutral and make sense. I am happy for you that the problem has been fixed no matter what it was. __________________ John

Cable issue or wiring issue?