Automan2164 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I've had it. I really have. My house is the static shock epicenter of the world. It used to be funny when Angela would get it, it would disrupt the cable and I could blame it on her "witchcraft", but it's getting me now too. Ever since I moved into my house, the static electricity generated around electrical appliances is unreal. I think it all came to a new level of awareness a couple years ago when our bug screen took a crap. We ended up putting a smaller TV on the coffee table, and it was somewhat in the way. Angela would have to sort of sneak by the back of it, and once or twice, she set it off as she went by. Most notably, it would ting a one inch pencil thick arc, and it would actually shut the tv off. Most often, it will happen as you get off the couch. We both use the laptops on the couch, and as you get up to set it down, you will get shocked. Right now if I were to set this down on the table, I would receive a machine gun of little static shocks as I let go, and it would also interrupt the cable, leaving a black tv. So irritating. Also, when you turn on or off ceiling fans, it will interrupt the cable for a second or two. I guess I am wondering if you guys have any ideas? Could something with the electrical not be grounded good enough? Cable not grounded? House going to explode? Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
500 MJ Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Start wearing some different socks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Put in a regulation 10' copper ground rod outside at your service entrance before the panel. Then make sure the neutral and ground busses are tied together inside the electrical main panel. Sounds like your service ground is tied to the water pipes or something, common practice in older homes. I had to do the same thing years ago when I bought my house. If not comfortable doing that, call a licensed electrical contractor to do a ground test at your meter using a megger. Your local electrical supplier might be even check it for free - worth a call to customer service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted October 9, 2012 Author Share Posted October 9, 2012 Do you think that any residual static could be seeking a way out via the cable and interrupting signal? It was the only thing I could come up with as to why the two would be connected. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I don't think it's static; I think it's ground loops caused by a high impedance ground plane. The first thing you shound do is get a megger test for the ground at your service entrance. Your provider should be able to do this. It's basically a simple test requiring specialized equipment to determine resistance to ground. High resistance, anything over .5 ohm, could be caused by a rotted out ground rod or not installed deep enough to reach the water table, poor soil conductivity, corroded conectors, or other ground impedances. Do you live on a rock bed? That's the #1 cause for a poor ground plane. Used to design build telecomms sites and ground loops could drive you batty because they caused comms hits. Rocky mountain top sites were difficult to get a decent ground. The very first thing we did was verify the ground plane reading with a megger when there were problems. Sidenote: We live on a sandstone mountain and started getting static shocks after installing cable. That's when I did the ground rod upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akula69 Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Do you think that any residual static could be seeking a way out via the cable and interrupting signal? It was the only thing I could come up with as to why the two would be connected. Rob A lot of cable companies in Louisiana (phone too) will tie thier gound lead to the first available source (out of laziness)....which is usually the nearest hose bib outside. If what Don said is true (and I believe he is probably correct) the static electricity is jumping to the cable to try and find a "better" way out. I forced our installers to tie into the 10 foot ground rod by the panel to avoid that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opsled Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Hornbrod probably has your problem nailed. Neutrals/grounds. Do a voltage test on your incoming hots to the main and see what they read. They should both be at 120ish and even during normal usage. If not power is backfeeding into the other line in search for ground. Had a similiar issue in the shop for years. It would come and go but was never right. Sometimes one side would be at 160 while the other was at 80 depending on what antidisestablishmentarianism running at the time. Turned ot to be a bad connection in the neutral on the pole. Electricity is always searching for the easy way to a ground and will do strange things in hunting for it. Have the server check it out if you have any doubt. These things can be dangerous to humans and electricals that are being powered by the system. If you overload one leg of the box it can cause problems like this too. opsled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted October 10, 2012 Author Share Posted October 10, 2012 Have an appointment for the cable company to come give it a once over tomorrow night. That, and finally bury that Damn line I have been mowing around for a year. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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