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Yes it WAS voltage on the coax cable center connector, FROM a bad ground AT/WITH/FROM the Utility Pole.
And, YES it WAS Central Maine Power who had to come out the next Morning, and repaired that bad/broken ground connector on/from the pole to the earth-ground at the base of the pole, into the dirt.
And, yes, the Techs did get a 'tingle' when they were inside my house, working on the wires/connections, and had to touch a splitter, from which they received a 'tingle/shock' they told me.
Whom would I contact first concerning this within CMP ?
What department should I contact first?
Thanks for your input!
Irv in Peru
I'm still not buying it that CMP is responsible. Below describes the handoff.
In electric power distribution, a service drop is an overhead electrical line running from a utility pole, to a customer's building or other premises. It is the point where electric utilities provide power to their customers. Conductors of a service drop are usually owned and maintained by the utility company.
At the customer's premises, the wires usually enter the building through a weatherhead that protects against entry of rain and snow, and drop down through conduit to an electric meter which measures and records the power used for billing purposes, then enters the main service panel. The utility's portion of the system ends, and the customer's wiring begins, at the output socket of the electric meter. The service panel will contain a "main" fuse or circuit breaker, which controls all of the electric current entering the building at once, and a number of smaller fuses/breakers, which protect individual branch circuits. There is always provision for all power to be cut off by operating either a single switch or small number of switches (maximum of six in the United States, for example); when circuit breakers are used this is provided by the main circuit breaker.
So the power company's responsibility ends at the outlet socket of the electric meter. The ground rod, therefore that grounds that meter and therefore your service belongs to you and would have been installed by an electrician, not the power company. That ground, I'm pretty sure was what was faulty. Now, CMP might have repaired it, but it's not their responsibility.
Every thing I have heard, read, observed makes me happy I don't have this conglomerate for my electric company. Thank God for the Co-op's. We have EMEC at our Maine home, and Blue Ridge Electrical Co-op at our North Carolina place.
Yes it WAS voltage on the coax cable center connector, FROM a bad ground AT/WITH/FROM the Utility Pole.
And, YES it WAS Central Maine Power who had to come out the next Morning, and repaired that bad/broken ground connector on/from the pole to the earth-ground at the base of the pole, into the dirt.
And, yes, the Techs did get a 'tingle' when they were inside my house, working on the wires/connections, and had to touch a splitter, from which they received a 'tingle/shock' they told me.
Whom would I contact first concerning this within CMP ?
What department should I contact first?
Thanks for your input!
Irv in Peru
I'm still not buying it that CMP is responsible. Below describes the handoff.
In electric power distribution, a service drop is an overhead electrical line running from a utility pole, to a customer's building or other premises. It is the point where electric utilities provide power to their customers. Conductors of a service drop are usually owned and maintained by the utility company.
At the customer's premises, the wires usually enter the building through a weatherhead that protects against entry of rain and snow, and drop down through conduit to an electric meter which measures and records the power used for billing purposes, then enters the main service panel. The utility's portion of the system ends, and the customer's wiring begins, at the output socket of the electric meter. The service panel will contain a "main" fuse or circuit breaker, which controls all of the electric current entering the building at once, and a number of smaller fuses/breakers, which protect individual branch circuits. There is always provision for all power to be cut off by operating either a single switch or small number of switches (maximum of six in the United States, for example); when circuit breakers are used this is provided by the main circuit breaker.
So the power company's responsibility ends at the outlet socket of the electric meter. The ground rod, therefore that grounds that meter and therefore your service belongs to you and would have been installed by an electrician, not the power company. That ground, I'm pretty sure was what was faulty. Now, CMP might have repaired it, but it's not their responsibility.
Kelly had the first part right, in a previous post, but is missing the boat here, after Irv said the issue was out at the pole.
However, Irv, your story isn't making much sense either, when you say that the juice was on the center conductor of the cable, but then say the tech got a 'tingle' from touching a splitter- if the current was in the center conductor, the tech could not have got a zap from touching the splitter because the exterior of the splitter is insulated from the center conductor, it *has* to be because the shield of the cable, which is used as a ground, is crimped into contact with the connector that attaches to the splitter, which, in turn, allows the case of the splitter to continue the ground path to the next segment of coax attached to the output of the splitter. If the splitter was shorted (internally) to the center conductor, the voltage would have returned to ground at that point and nothing would have reached the TV.
I don't [completely] buy the idea of CMP being responsible either, for various technical reasons, but having seen electricity act in some very strange ways (and not being able to physically troubleshoot the condition) I also wouldn't completely rule out some responsibility, if only partially. It *IS* possible for voltage on one conductor to generate voltage/signal in another conductor which is not in physical contact, which is how a transformer works...and how I can turn the wiring of a house into a giant antenna.
In any case, Irv, you got scrod, and either company can pass the blame to the other and there isn't any way for *you* to prove anything.
No point in going to your ins. co. either- the cost of a new TV would fall well below your deductible- I saw 60" 4k LED TVs on sale at WallyWorld for about $250 just a couple of weeks ago.
Incidentally, if the current *was*, in fact, on the center conductor, a surge suppressor would have done no good whatsoever. Surge suppressors use Metal-Oxide Varistors (MOVs) to conduct 'normal' current while absorbing abnormal voltage spikes. The amount of current you described falls well within the 'normal' range.
Well Folks, it's been a long, slow slog but finally today Wednesday May 13th when I went to my mailbox, low and behold there was an envelope from Central Maine Power Company...
I opened the envelope, and low and behold A CHECK FROM C.M.P. in the amount of $400- !
I'm both Flabbergasted and Amazed but Pleased.
Now, this is LONG AFTER my initial filing of my damage claim with CMP, which started Thursday night February 29th.
I really did not think that I would receive a penny from CMP, but see what can happen if one tries!
So, that money is greatly needed and is going in my fund, for a new transmission, for my Nissan Murano, which died two weeks ago.
Incidentally, if the current *was*, in fact, on the center conductor, a surge suppressor would have done no good whatsoever. Surge suppressors use Metal-Oxide Varistors (MOVs) to conduct 'normal' current while absorbing abnormal voltage spikes. The amount of current you described falls well within the 'normal' range.[/quote]
SPEAKING OF SURGE SUPPRESSORS...
I have two (2) Professional Computer Surge Suppressors by The Kensington Company, called - MASTERPIECE Plus.
These are plugged in series together, one into the other one.
I'm covered for A/C Line Surges.
WHAT CAN I USE TO PREVENT THIS SAME PROBLEM FROM OCCURING AGAIN?
- With/through the CENTER CONDUCTOR of the Coaxial Cable???
I know that there are little Coax in-line filters that you could use for this, but I was told by the same Spectrum Maintenance Supervisor [who gave me the 'damage report' for my claim] that they may not work and/or could cause 'signal drop' on some Digital Channels (?).
Sooooo, what's a poor TV Viewer to do, to prevent his new $1,360- OLED TV from GETTING BURNED OUT AGAIN??? (Before I can Pay It Off) !
There's got to be SOMETHING that will work to prevent damage to delicate electronics.
What about APC Battery-backup units, also used in the PC World?
(I used to be an IT Manager in Connecticut, before I Retired and moved to Maine. Yes, I know ALL about cables/cabling CAT5 Cable (I've laid miles of that stuff), voltage etc).
But, I have N-E-V-E-R had an issue similar to this 'high-voltage through the coax center conductor' whereby it burns out a perfectly good TV.
What can I do to PROTECT my new TV?
Thanking You All in Advance,
Irv in Maine
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