Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations Rhinorhino on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
Need to add ground wire to cable splitter
- Thread starter wjl11
- Start date
daronwilson
Vendor
I think the cable company often grounds with a number 14 solid, I think that's pretty small myself, we try to use nothing smaller than number 10. The ground wire should go as directly as possible to the electrical service ground below your meter base. Since there is so much plastic piping in houses today, the old cold water pipe ground is really not acceptable anymore. Your electrical service should have at least a number 6 copper wire going to a ground rod very close to where the service comes into the house. That is your main ground and the place to be.
If you find that ground wire, you can buy a connector called a split-bolt connector designed to hook two large electical wires together. It would work easy for you because you clamp it over the big ground wire, then slide your cable ground wire in there and tighten it down.
Hope that helps. It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com
If you find that ground wire, you can buy a connector called a split-bolt connector designed to hook two large electical wires together. It would work easy for you because you clamp it over the big ground wire, then slide your cable ground wire in there and tighten it down.
Hope that helps. It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com
- Thread starter
- #3
When the cable guy installed my feed, they put a bracket with a barrel connector on it. One side of the barrel has the feed, the other side has another segment going straight to my TV. On the bracket, they ran a wire (not sure of the gage) to the water pipe used to hose the lawn. It wasn't really feasible to connect to the electrical ground because all the wires to and from the electrical meter are encased in PVC pipes. They would of need to run the ground inside the house then connect it to the ground used by the electrical panels. Recently I added another surge protector on my coax line for added protection because I'm planning on adding a cable modem. I wouldn't like a surge from the coax to fry all my networked pcs.
anthony
anthony
jeffbouldin
Technical User
When grounding something remember that electricity's main purpose in life is to get where it is going(usually ground) with the least amount of resistance(much like most of us). The longer the run and smaller the diameter of the ground wire, the greater the possibility it will decide to go through your cable modem.
If you know your water pipe is metal all the way into the ground, and you can make a short direct(very few bends) run to it this may be your best solution.
If you are not sure and the electrical service is too far away, you will have to drive your own ground rod six feet into the ground.
I put a cell backup unit on a security system a few monthes ago, after it had been hit by lighting the third time I noticed that the phone company had not grounded their network interface. After they did I had no more problems. It does make a difference.
If you know your water pipe is metal all the way into the ground, and you can make a short direct(very few bends) run to it this may be your best solution.
If you are not sure and the electrical service is too far away, you will have to drive your own ground rod six feet into the ground.
I put a cell backup unit on a security system a few monthes ago, after it had been hit by lighting the third time I noticed that the phone company had not grounded their network interface. After they did I had no more problems. It does make a difference.
daronwilson
Vendor
Grounding is certainly important. While there are many solutions, one should consider whether you want it to be just OK or want it to meet the NEC requirements, and want it to be reliable. If you drive a seperate ground rod, you technically must bond that ground rod to the existing electrcial ground. Failure to do so will give you two different ground potentials (generally not good).
Generally the other services (phone, cable) should hit the building within 10 feet of the electrical service and be grounded to the main building ground at that point. It may be a ground rod, or two ground rods bonded together, or a piece of rebar poured in the footing or slab (commonly called a UFER ground).
Anyway, lots of ways to do it, I'm used to dealing with installations at radio sites and such where we can't afford to skimp on the ground. Just review the NEC guidlines for grounding (if the NEC applies to you) and you can get a good idea. As with most things, the better you do with the installation the better the protection you will have.
Good Luck! It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com
Generally the other services (phone, cable) should hit the building within 10 feet of the electrical service and be grounded to the main building ground at that point. It may be a ground rod, or two ground rods bonded together, or a piece of rebar poured in the footing or slab (commonly called a UFER ground).
Anyway, lots of ways to do it, I'm used to dealing with installations at radio sites and such where we can't afford to skimp on the ground. Just review the NEC guidlines for grounding (if the NEC applies to you) and you can get a good idea. As with most things, the better you do with the installation the better the protection you will have.
Good Luck! It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com
- Status
Similar threads
- Locked
- Question