tschmidt
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
 ·Hollis Hosting
 ·Verizon Online DSL
·Fairpoint Communic..
| reply to russotto
Re: Bureaucracy or safety?
said by russotto  : If Verizon is running non-metallic optical cable into the customer premises, any grounding or bonding is about as important as teats on a boar. Not sure what all the fuss is about. Some fiber cable include conductor to facilitate tracing even though they are not required for data transmission. However: I think Verizon drop cables are completely nonmetallic.
The lack of metallic conductor exiting the building means ONT is no different then any other electrical device. ONT is powered by three-wire grounded AC feed. I assume (but don't know for sure) that AC safety ground extends from power supply to ONT.
/tom |
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tshirt
Premium,MVM
join:2004-07-11
Snohomish, WA
 ·Comcast
2 edits | If there was no safety hazard, Then the code should be changed. Still not a excuse for not following the current code today.
if it's an externally mounted powered device, then it MUST be properly grounded. If the power points are at all accessable, then it should be on a GFCI (this could be a problem for the ONT) that certainly goes beyond the pictures I've seen of even a good fios install.
Just because it's fiber optic, it doesn't mean it's totally non-metalic, most "self-supporting" drop cable have a support wire, either metal or fiber glass, to carry the weight/strain, something you can't do with optical fiber, without damaging it. Even a totally non'metalic drop can become the best available conductor for static, lightning, or the accidental short (dropped power line) and create a hazard. |
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pende_tim
Premium
join:2004-01-04
Andover, NJ
·ProLog
 ·ViaTalk
·Verizon Online DSL
| reply to tschmidt
I am not sure of the grounding/bonding requirements on telco gear but.....
I have a fire/smoke/intrusion alarm panel in my basement that is connected to a dialup monitoring service. That panel has a ground lug in it with instructions to connect to a cold water pipe. The panel is fed from a large 12 volt "wall wort" transformer that plugs into a u ground outlet.
Tim
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The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits. |
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cdru
Go Colts
Premium,MVM
join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN
| reply to tschmidt
said by tschmidt :said by russotto : If Verizon is running non-metallic optical cable into the customer premises, any grounding or bonding is about as important as teats on a boar. Not sure what all the fuss is about. Some fiber cable include conductor to facilitate tracing even though they are not required for data transmission. However: I think Verizon drop cables are completely nonmetallic. It's a safety ground for internal wiring, not just for the incoming drop. The grounding isn't necessary per se for the ONT, but for all the things that get connected to the ONT. TVs and VCRs are notorious for leaking AC onto the coax shield. The proper grounding just gives a better path for the current to safely dissipate rather then through you if you should happen to contact the wire.
Is it a huge safety issue? No. Is your house going to burn down? Not likely. Are there thousands of existing telephone and cable drops that are improperly grounded across the country (and not just Verizon's fault)? Definitely. Is it worth doing correctly? Yes.
said by tschmidt :The lack of metallic conductor exiting the building means ONT is no different then any other electrical device. ONT is powered by three-wire grounded AC feed. I assume (but don't know for sure) that AC safety ground extends from power supply to ONT. I'd have to double check, but I thought my ONT's power supply was powered by just a polarized 2-prong connector. If that is the case, the actual power supply is just a variation wall-wart transformer and does not have a ground. |
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NetAdmin
CCNA
join:2008-05-22
| said by cdru :The grounding isn't necessary per se for the ONT, but for all the things that get connected to the ONT. TVs and VCRs are notorious for leaking AC onto the coax shield. The proper grounding just gives a better path for the current to safely dissipate rather then through you if you should happen to contact the wire. Ding ding ding... A winner.
Is it a huge safety issue? No. Depending on the level of power leaked into the coax shielding, it can be. I have, on more than one occasion, heard of techs getting nice jolts from older installs that weren't grounded (it was not always required by code).
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Eleven years of carrying The Clue Bat... |
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