Unions Want Improper Cable Grounding Inspected, Too > Proper Grounding?

reply to sedorox

Re: Proper Grounding?

It is important to remember that if the ground block is connected to a cold water faucet, your plumbing must be a conductor (Copper). Plastic pipe (PVC or CPVC) just won't do. If you have plastic plumbing, run a Ten gauge stranded wire, insulated wire is OK, from the grounding block where your cable drop terminates to the ground rod where the electrical service entrance is grounded.

I learned about proper grounding the hard way. When my cable was installed many years ago at another residence, the cable installer drove in a Six Foot Ground Rod and tied the grounding block to that ground. The service entrance was about 50 feet from the grounding block. There was no connection between the ground block and the service entrance ground. During an intense thunder storm, lightning struck nearby. A flash over occurred between a splitter I had installed between the Cable connection, TV and VCR and a splitter installed between the Antenna, TV and VCR. The power supply for the antenna amplifier was destroyed. My neighbor experienced a flash over at the same time between the cable outlet and the power outlet damaging their television. I checked with an electrical inspector and found that the grounding block must be bonded to the service entrance ground.

reply to Bobcat

reply to Mr Matt
Actually, *all* grounds *must* be bonded together. Further, the neutral (a.k.a. grounded) conductor of the electrical service must be connected to the grounding electrode(s) or rod(s) to become part of the ground system. Under most circumstances, multiple ground systems are not permitted. Any rooftop antenna, satellite dish, CATV, TelCo and Electric Company grounds must *all* be bonded together.

This means multiple ground rods (where employed) must be bonded together. If a cold water pipe or gas pipe (where permitted) is to be used as a ground or grounding electrode, those pipes too, must be bonded (if not already - with approved clamps designed for the use) to the ground system.

As mentioned earlier, the pipes must not be made of PVC, or other non-conductive materials if used for ground.

reply to Bobcat
It needs to be grounded within 5ft of where the water main enters the building with 10 gauge wire. Assuming the water main is a copper pipe of course.

All my water pipes are copper. They're bonded to the electrical ground (which has a ground rod) and there's a jumper across the water meter. But the cable is grounded to an outside faucet quite a distance from where the water line enters the house.

reply to Mr Matt
I was lucky when AT&T originally did my wiring (before Uverse)... SoCal Edison's 16kV line. It melted the wiring and charred the insulation at the grounding block.
If the grounding block wasn't there, my house might have went up like my one of the trees did.
--
Canada = Hollywood North

reply to Telcoguru

I'd like to see that section. AFAIK the ONT is to be grounded with 10AWG but the water main has to be 6AWG to the electrical ground.

EDIT: Spelling

reply to jplove71
I was told you only have to use 6 gauge wire to bond grounding rods together not when grounding to the water main.