installer grounding question

Status
Please reply by conversation.

j.vo

SatelliteGuys Family
Dec 4, 2004
66
0
I am in the process of gathering equipment to upgrade my dad to hd. I noticed that his 500 dish is not grounded, but the cable has a ground block that is connected to the house electrical ground via an outdoor light fixture.

This seems like a short cut taken by a dish installer. Should I look for a ground rod buried next to the electric meter?

Thanks,

J.Vo
 

isas

New Member
Dec 17, 2006
3
0
No. Under the National electric Code, the cable is to be grounded to the common house ground. If it is connected to a separate ground rod, that rod must be bonded to the house ground. Failure to bond the grounds could result in a potentially dangerous situation.
 

TimberWolf

SatelliteGuys Pro
Jun 7, 2010
612
8
PA
If you can find the existing ground rod or bare copper wire that should be coming from the panel to it, you can use either of those. Both are better than the light fixture that may not be grounded anyway.
 

Dishman1978

SatelliteGuys Pro
Jul 31, 2010
3,274
90
California
Your current ground is an approved ground.

My system isnt even grounded, due to the lack of a ground source anywhere near the dish.
 

AZ.

SatelliteGuys Master
Pub Member / Supporter
Mar 26, 2011
11,033
24,578
crazy
Its not really going to hurt anything if its not grounded in some cases iv seen the ground actually make the system act up

If you had an electrical background you wouldnt make this statment........I understand why you say it but it is wrong......when problems happen as you say, it is because of a difference in potential !....There is a reason we follow codes (NEC).
 

vash1090

SatelliteGuys Pro
Jul 7, 2009
659
0
AZ
If you had an electrical background you wouldnt make this statment........I understand why you say it but it is wrong......when problems happen as you say, it is because of a difference in potential !....There is a reason we follow codes (NEC).

You say you have a background in electrical? Do you have a background in satellite installation? He's not saying that grounding is bad (or unnecessary), only that sometimes the ground has caused problems. Not often on a bonded ground though unless the electrical system isn't wired correctly, which takes us back to someone with an electrical background doing something wrong at some point, but it does happen so you can't say it doesn't.
 

AZ.

SatelliteGuys Master
Pub Member / Supporter
Mar 26, 2011
11,033
24,578
crazy
You say you have a background in electrical? Do you have a background in satellite installation? He's not saying that grounding is bad (or unnecessary), only that sometimes the ground has caused problems. Not often on a bonded ground though unless the electrical system isn't wired correctly, which takes us back to someone with an electrical background doing something wrong at some point, but it does happen so you can't say it doesn't.

All I will say is your cluless!....If we didnt need grounds we wouldnt have them! end of story!!!! THERE FOR SAFTY!!!!!!!
 

YourHero101

SatelliteGuys Family
Apr 23, 2011
38
0
MI, Metro Detroit Area
All I will say is your cluless!....If we didnt need grounds we wouldnt have them! end of story!!!! THERE FOR SAFTY!!!!!!!

Not saying house should not be grounded im saying if house is wired wrong or has faulty ground will make satellite system act up i work in some "real nice" areas of detroit that alot of the houses had hack electricians come through and not do the greatest of jobs wiring the houses especially the houses that are older than dirt not sure on the codes now but im sure they are way dif than they where that many years ago
 

AZ.

SatelliteGuys Master
Pub Member / Supporter
Mar 26, 2011
11,033
24,578
crazy
Not saying house should not be grounded im saying if house is wired wrong or has faulty ground will make satellite system act up i work in some "real nice" areas of detroit that alot of the houses had hack electricians come through and not do the greatest of jobs wiring the houses especially the houses that are older than dirt not sure on the codes now but im sure they are way dif than they where that many years ago

Please go back and read the thread....yes grounds are good, safe, and a must!!!....but if someone questions my background and says that disconecting or removing a ground is good or "fixes things" Im sorry it crosses the one and only main safty in a home or building!

Removing a ground has NEVER fixed one thing! It may make a problem go away but dosent fix it....If I broke my arm, with that thinking it would be better to remove it from my sholder down then? Well? We didnt fix the break but we sure did take the pain away from the broken bone...
 

AZ.

SatelliteGuys Master
Pub Member / Supporter
Mar 26, 2011
11,033
24,578
crazy
Its not really going to hurt anything if its not grounded in some cases iv seen the ground actually make the system act up

Explain this ???? good luck, because there is no explanation! period, end of story....
 

Frank7004

SatelliteGuys Pro
Dec 13, 2009
715
0
Indiana
I had an entire circuit continue to pop breakers until I removed the ground to the sat system. The ground was to a copper water pipe which the house ground was also attached to.

Explain that.

Edit: and it tested ok by way of the electric tester issued to me in my install tool kit
 
Last edited:

AZ.

SatelliteGuys Master
Pub Member / Supporter
Mar 26, 2011
11,033
24,578
crazy
I had an entire circuit continue to pop breakers until I removed the ground to the sat system. The ground was to a copper water pipe which the house ground was also attached to.

Explain that.

Edit: and it tested ok by way of the electric tester issued to me in my install tool kit

Your kidding right???? Its called a short with resistance! LOL....of course when you disconected the ground it stoped blowing the breaker....Just a heads up...If you still have this situation your home is a ticking time bomb....PLEASE call a qualifyed electrician to get this matter taken care of......Any posabilitys of removing a ground can cause floating voltages, back feeds, electrical shocks or DEATH!....It sounds more like a fire waiting to happen.....please ,please please, hear my warning you have a very seriouse situation and take care of it ASAP!!!!!! Seriously!!!!!!


PS. The old fashon way of proving your short with the old twist fuses, was to screw a light bulb into were the fuse was...your situation would of light the bulb....please be carefull I will not continue this any farther!!!!!
 

AZ.

SatelliteGuys Master
Pub Member / Supporter
Mar 26, 2011
11,033
24,578
crazy
Dude what dont you understand! A breaker has only 2 uses.....Direct shorts of current overload....If you removed your ground it would not effect over current....remove a ground you remove the short a a breaker dosent blow.....this aint rocket science but it is AC wiring theory.....You have yet to give any explanation I have continued to give yoy blow by blow theory and reason!!!!! Bugering somthing up with out fixing the problem isnt a solution!!!!!
 

AZ.

SatelliteGuys Master
Pub Member / Supporter
Mar 26, 2011
11,033
24,578
crazy
If you have a short.....you get an arch....as this continues everytime its reset its aches again.....each time carbon is created...carbon is a resistance....after a while you have a short that has resistance because of the carbon.....Now over time it heats up and causes a fire!....This is the same way a heater or blow dryer works.....its a short, with resistance, with resistance there is heat, hence over time a fire!
 

Frank7004

SatelliteGuys Pro
Dec 13, 2009
715
0
Indiana
AZ. said:
Your kidding right???? Its called a short with resistance! LOL....of course when you disconected the ground it stoped blowing the breaker....Just a heads up...If you still have this situation your home is a ticking time bomb....PLEASE call a qualifyed electrician to get this matter taken care of......Any posabilitys of removing a ground can cause floating voltages, back feeds, electrical shocks or DEATH!....It sounds more like a fire waiting to happen.....please ,please please, hear my warning you have a very seriouse situation and take care of it ASAP!!!!!! Seriously!!!!!!

PS. The old fashon way of proving your short with the old twist fuses, was to screw a light bulb into were the fuse was...your situation would of light the bulb....please be carefull I will not continue this any farther!!!!!

I told the customer the same thing.
 

SaltiDawg

SatelliteGuys Pro
Sep 1, 2004
1,032
44
If you have a short.....you get an arch....as this continues everytime its reset its aches again.....each time carbon is created...carbon is a resistance....after a while you have a short that has resistance because of the carbon.....Now over time it heats up and causes a fire!....This is the same way a heater or blow dryer works.....its a short, with resistance, with resistance there is heat, hence over time a fire!
You should read this post in the cold sober light of day and see if it makes sense. ;)
 
Status
Please reply by conversation.

211 multiple shutdowns

My 922 just deleted 300GB of DVR recordings!

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 0, Members: 0, Guests: 0)

Who Read This Thread (Total Members: 1)