How to tell if grounded?

[partymonkey]

I was reading another post and it concerned me. How can I tell if my Dish is properly grounded? When the installer installed it, I don't remember any grounding discussion.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Van]

Following the lines from the dish down, you will be looking for a device that looks like a metal bar with 2 barrel connections run through it, it should be screwed onto a surface such as the outside wall or in the basement, there will be a copper wire from the dish to this ground block and then another from the ground block to a ground source such as a cold water pipe, the house ground wire, a clamp on the electric meter is another device.

 

[Texanmutt]

Look for something that resembles this-

 

[gbjbany]

so i dont have these either, and i have had 2 different installers over last 4 years. Do i call Dish and get them to come out and correct this ? This sounds like along job, as the satellite is on the roof.
Also do all the cables (legacy quad) have to run through this grounding ?
I'm also considering getting a dish 1000 and some point, so i can get voom (west coast), should i ask for both at the same time.

 

[rowemance]

gbjbany - Your best bet is to call Dish and upgrade to a Dish 1000 when they send out there installer mention to him you don't think your dish is grounded and have him show you where it is. If he can't don't sign his work completion papers until he does it.
If you call some one out to ground it after all this time they will probably charge you Dish shouldn't.

 

[goaliebob99]

that first picture isnt grounded properly... its copper on galvanized steal.. The chemical mismatch doesnt allow for good grounding... It should be a galvanized strap instead of a copper one..

 

[Dish Dude]

always remember to bond like materials, the first one would be deemed an illegal ground because of the old netminder's remarks, oh and the NEC says so

 

[BnT]

also add to that, that a grounding lug should be located on the foot plate, putting the ground wire around a bolt is not sufficient.

 

[webbydude]

More a rambling than an actual question...why is putting a ground lug to the foot plate more sufficient than just putting a ground wire around a mounting bolt? Metal-on-metal contact occurs in either case, right?????????

 

[BnT]

NEC code dictates that an acceptable ground must have its own connecting point, a bolt used for the dual purpose of grounding and mounting/assembly is not sufficient

 

[webbydude]

Ahh...now THAT makes sense. Well , as much sense as any other NEC rule that is.

 

[BnT]

that's the NEC for you.

 

[SimpleSimon]

that's the NEC for you.

Yup. NEC:

Nuts
Eliminating
Common sense

 

[Texanmutt]

that first picture isnt grounded properly... its copper on galvanized steal.. The chemical mismatch doesnt allow for good grounding... It should be a galvanized strap instead of a copper one..

How much you want to bet that it will pass a dish network QC. Your not supposed to use those 4 foot ground rods from perfect 10 either. But i have had a job inspected (by one of E* QC guys) where i had to use one because the power panel was on a pole 300 feet away from the house. I was told "good job making sure it was grounded".

always remember to bond like materials, the first one would be deemed an illegal ground because of the old netminder's remarks, oh and the NEC says so

The "NEC committee" is not paying me, dish is. And dish says "good job".

 

[Texanmutt]

NEC code dictates that an acceptable ground must have its own connecting point, a bolt used for the dual purpose of grounding and mounting/assembly is not sufficient

How about this.

 

[OoTLink]

Here's another: Do all the coax lines have to be grounded? When I had them check that they said only half did (2 were, 2 weren't).

In addition, no ground to the mast, but I didn't think it needed one anyway.

 

[webbydude]

How about this.

It may not pass. Our office was informed several months ago that a groundlug HAS to be used in the place of the mounting bolt that is seen in your picture. Yes, I know it sounds a tad goofy sense metal-on-metal contact is occuring regardless. But as a previous poster has mentioned, the rationale is that the ground tracer has to have it's own AND independent boltdown.

 

[webbydude]

Here's another: Do all the coax lines have to be grounded? When I had them check that they said only half did (2 were, 2 weren't).

In addition, no ground to the mast, but I didn't think it needed one anyway.

Think about it. If one of the reasons for grounding is to protect the internal electronics on a receiver, why shouldn't each coax from the dish be grounded? I would understand if they were refering to a TV#2 backfeed from a dual-tuner. But from the actual LNB to receiver; yes, that has to be grounded.

 

[Texanmutt]

It may not pass. Our office was informed several months ago that a groundlug HAS to be used in the place of the mounting bolt that is seen in your picture. Yes, I know it sounds a tad goofy sense metal-on-metal contact is occuring regardless. But as a previous poster has mentioned, the rationale is that the ground tracer has to have it's own AND independent boltdown.

Wow, that is gay. The dnsc office passes them here by grounding to a pivot bolt or a self tapping screw. And with QC grades of 95% or higher, they say I'm doing a quite well. As far as that being an NEC policy, i say BS. Electrical connection boxes are grounded via a grounding screw which is nothing more than a wire wrapped around self tapping screw.

sh*t, if you are not capable of grounding the system (i.e. apartments), then dish will give you permission to install an ungrounded system. Of course the customer has to sign responsibility for it though.

 

[gbjbany]

So i called dish and they, after a small battle, agreed to come and check/install the ground. I also scheduled at the same time for a second dish for 2 or my locals that are on 148/129.

My questions are.
1. Wont it be easier/cheaper for them to replace my d500 legacy quad system with a dish 1000 plus a switch to support my 942 and 2 501's ?
2. should I call back and suggest that ?