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Where do I need to connect the ground wire of my ground block? Can I connect it to the neutral of my circuit breaker? What wire gauge should I use for this purpose?
Ground block installation
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If this is a cable TV or Satellite ground block, YOU don't connect it anywhere. The installer will take care of that. Just what do you mean by:
Circuit breakers should never be connected to the neutral. The proper place to connect a ground block is to the bare copper wire that runs out of your meter head or breaker box, but unless you know what you're doing I'd get an electrician involved locally.
Circuit breakers should never be connected to the neutral. The proper place to connect a ground block is to the bare copper wire that runs out of your meter head or breaker box, but unless you know what you're doing I'd get an electrician involved locally.
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Sorry, not neutral, I meant to the ground of the circuit breaker. I'm actually the installer of my own ground block here in our country because it isn't "common" here to install those kind of protection to our cable network.
Well, the ground of the circuit breaker (hence the ground of all my power outlets) are all connected to the main ground of the building, right? So can I just tap the ground wire of my ground block inside the ground receptacle of one of my outlets?
Electricians here tell me that it's safe to just connect it to the ground receptacles of outlets. Is this correct notion?
Well, the ground of the circuit breaker (hence the ground of all my power outlets) are all connected to the main ground of the building, right? So can I just tap the ground wire of my ground block inside the ground receptacle of one of my outlets?
Electricians here tell me that it's safe to just connect it to the ground receptacles of outlets. Is this correct notion?
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Without knowing the country or the type of AC power system it's hard to get into all the details, but in any case.
The external AC power, telephone, cable or satellite TV cables should all be grounded at or near the AC power Service Entrance (the point where the AC enters the building. The AC power Neutral should also be only connected to ground at that point.
The external AC power, telephone, cable or satellite TV cables should all be grounded at or near the AC power Service Entrance (the point where the AC enters the building. The AC power Neutral should also be only connected to ground at that point.
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I just learned that the breaker of my house has three wires: two hot wires (115V each because our mains are 230V) and one ground (no neutral). So in that case can I connect the ground block directly to the ground of the breaker?
There should also be an "earth ground" someplace close to the breaker box or the power ("KWH") meter...usually a good-sized ground stake. You need to be grounded to that stake, or to the power meter's metal box.
Best way is to add a ground stake right at the point where the cables enter the house, with your ground block there. Then, you still need to have some sort of wire between the power meter ground point and the antenna cable ground point. That keeps the two systems (antenna/RF and the power) at the same potential.
But, always check your local codes, to be sure what is expected.
Best way is to add a ground stake right at the point where the cables enter the house, with your ground block there. Then, you still need to have some sort of wire between the power meter ground point and the antenna cable ground point. That keeps the two systems (antenna/RF and the power) at the same potential.
But, always check your local codes, to be sure what is expected.
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Well, I live in a condo so I can do so much. They said the breakers of all units in our building are connected to one earth ground which is the ground of the building. With that, I'm thinking that connecting the ground block (actually I'm DIY installing it for my coaxial cable tv amplifier) can be connected directly to one of the ground terminals of my sockets here. Is that right?
The TV cable should be grounded (by the Cable Company) near where it attaches to the building. There really shouldn't be a need for a second ground, and it could in fact create a Ground Loop .
The TV cable should be grounded (by the Cable Company) near where it attaches to the building. There really shouldn't be a need for a second ground, and it could in fact create a Ground Loop .
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You mean they already have a ground block outside? Because in my other home, I don't see a ground block attached to the post of my cable company.
I would strongly consider hiring or consulting a professional who is familiar with your countries electrical system to assist you. We have provided links and direct instructions about what to do. Every time someone answers your questions, you question their answers. This ordeal has spread multiple threads and multiple months. A quick google search found a link to guidelines for your countries electrical system that I posted months ago in another forum discussing the same thing. More answers were given, and more answers were questioned. Wash, rinse, repeat.
IMO, if you want to DIY something, having even the most basic fundamentals of what you are doing or playing with is required. Or at the very least, if you intend to learn on the fly from a forum such as this, the ability to understand or the desire to learn from some of the very good answers many people have given you.
No one here can tell you EXACTLY what to do. We also cannot do it for you. Every house, every country will be set up differently and have differing codes. We can only tell you what should be done. This is where a basic knowledge of what is being told to you comes into play. I mean no offense, but it seems you do not have the knowledge to put any of the suggested directions to practical use. And when it comes to playing with electricity, this scares me,even for what some may deem a simple task.
Do yourself a favor. Have the cable company verify that you are grounded. If you are unsatisfied with that, hire an electrician to perform the work for you. It will save you a lot of time, and me a lot of worry that you do not electrocute yourself trying to ground your cable tv system.
IMO, if you want to DIY something, having even the most basic fundamentals of what you are doing or playing with is required. Or at the very least, if you intend to learn on the fly from a forum such as this, the ability to understand or the desire to learn from some of the very good answers many people have given you.
No one here can tell you EXACTLY what to do. We also cannot do it for you. Every house, every country will be set up differently and have differing codes. We can only tell you what should be done. This is where a basic knowledge of what is being told to you comes into play. I mean no offense, but it seems you do not have the knowledge to put any of the suggested directions to practical use. And when it comes to playing with electricity, this scares me,even for what some may deem a simple task.
Do yourself a favor. Have the cable company verify that you are grounded. If you are unsatisfied with that, hire an electrician to perform the work for you. It will save you a lot of time, and me a lot of worry that you do not electrocute yourself trying to ground your cable tv system.
Regardless of the location, the provider communications should be grounded outside of the structure. Here in the U.S., it is required that the telephone, satellite, antenna, coax, etc be bonded to the ground rod, not to the side of the meter pan, not connected to a cold water pipe inside of the structure. That means if you have multiple communications or tv providers, they should be bonded to a common grounding block, with #10 from each provider, in turn grounded to the common ground rod for the structure with #8 solid in the straightest run from the common block to the ground rod buried in the ground. All of this is in NEC article 820.
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Hmmm, how can I make sure that my provider indeed grounded the main coax cable?
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So to be sure can I just ground my ground block on the ground's socket? I'm worried about Ground Loops though.
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It's just that almost all electronic works here in the Philippines aren't up to the "code" that's why I'm doing all of this. I'm not mocking my own country but it's just facts I'm stating. Electricians here or even most homes don't care about properly grounding devices though there are still people that do know what to do about this. But the thing is that I'm not sure if my cable company DID ground my coaxial cable from the outside.
Quote:
Originally Posted by olyteddy /forum/post/20919771
Have you read any of the replies? NO. A groundblock is meant to be outdoors.![]()
It's just that almost all electronic works here in the Philippines aren't up to the "code" that's why I'm doing all of this. I'm not mocking my own country but it's just facts I'm stating. Electricians here or even most homes don't care about properly grounding devices though there are still people that do know what to do about this. But the thing is that I'm not sure if my cable company DID ground my coaxial cable from the outside.
Glad someone else noticed this. To the OP , please consult a professional who can see the job first hand before you end up hurting yourself of causing expensive damage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by olyteddy /forum/post/0
Have you read any of the replies? NO. A groundblock is meant to be outdoors.![]()
Glad someone else noticed this. To the OP , please consult a professional who can see the job first hand before you end up hurting yourself of causing expensive damage.
For starters it is very easy to tell if your home is grounded or not. If you know what you are doing and looking for, you see if it is grounded, simple enough. If you don't really have a clue what you are looking for or have no access because it is an apt or condo, you call the cable company and have them verify. It is a safety issue and they should be obliged to verify it.
Not to mention that the FCC has nothing to do with it, as, if you actually read the thread, you would have seen he lives in the philipines.
Now onto your statement about cable plant grounding.
Could you please elaborate on this? How does the cable plant not being grounded have anything to do with removing a neutral from your home? I mean really?
Grounding the cable plant serves as protection against lightning strikes, ,power line breaks and transformer malfunctions. This is preventative whereas removing ones neutral will have an almost immediate impact and is far more dangerous and service affecting.
I have been on the wrong side of a bad neutral and when it is bad it uses the cable as it's ground. You break that cycle and all he'll breaks loose and can start a fire in seconds amongst other bad outcomes.
Having a plant or home ungrounded will not do any of these things, unless something is electrically wrong in the hone. Your home or the cable plant will just be more susceptible to damage if a lightning strike or power line break , etc occurs.
I would still like to hear your explanation of how one equates to the other.
For starters it is very easy to tell if your home is grounded or not. If you know what you are doing and looking for, you see if it is grounded, simple enough. If you don't really have a clue what you are looking for or have no access because it is an apt or condo, you call the cable company and have them verify. It is a safety issue and they should be obliged to verify it.
Not to mention that the FCC has nothing to do with it, as, if you actually read the thread, you would have seen he lives in the philipines.
Now onto your statement about cable plant grounding.
Could you please elaborate on this? How does the cable plant not being grounded have anything to do with removing a neutral from your home? I mean really?
Grounding the cable plant serves as protection against lightning strikes, ,power line breaks and transformer malfunctions. This is preventative whereas removing ones neutral will have an almost immediate impact and is far more dangerous and service affecting.
I have been on the wrong side of a bad neutral and when it is bad it uses the cable as it's ground. You break that cycle and all he'll breaks loose and can start a fire in seconds amongst other bad outcomes.
Having a plant or home ungrounded will not do any of these things, unless something is electrically wrong in the hone. Your home or the cable plant will just be more susceptible to damage if a lightning strike or power line break , etc occurs.
I would still like to hear your explanation of how one equates to the other.
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