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mjohnson4580
join:2010-01-18
Brooklyn, MD

mjohnson4580

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[Install] curious about grounding

I wanted to ground my cable splitter so the other day i grounded it to the cold copper pipe. But then today i saw the water service that came in the house is not copper but some sort of pvc. so i was wondering if i can ground to the electric panel? thank you in advance for advice.

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

1 edit

telcodad

MVM

[Install] Re: curious about grounding

Yes, today the ground wire from the cable company's ground block, at the service entry point, is typically connected ("bonded") to the power company's ground.

The above photo shows how the green ground wire from the cable ground block is typically connected to a clamp on the metal sheath just above the electric meter.

See:

Preventing Damage Due to Ground Potential Difference
Duke Energy Tech Tips
»www.duke-energy.com/indi ··· p-08.asp
mjohnson4580
join:2010-01-18
Brooklyn, MD

mjohnson4580

Member

thank you

Streetlight
join:2005-11-07
Colorado Springs, CO

Streetlight to telcodad

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I'm not sure this is the best solution even if Comcast uses this kind of grounding connection. This is the kind of connection Comcast used at my house except the clamp was on the conduit at ground level. As you might imagine the thing corroded and I found it laying broken on the ground. In my case the conduit was painted and the clamp was insulated from the steel conduit by the paint. At least in the picture shown, the paint was scraped off. In the picture from the second post, the clamp does look corroded.

The clamp is probably made from steel and the ground cable is copper - dissimilar metals. The result will be corrosion particularly since the connection is outside in the weather giving a high resistance connection and potential difference between Comcast's ground and the electric service. The house electrical system should be connected with a copper wire to a copper rod in the ground near the electric meter. You can buy a copper device in a hardware store with two bolts that connect the Comcast ground wire to the ground wire from the electric system. In my house the electric service is connection is from the circuit breaker box in the garage through a wall to the ground rod so I ran the Comcast ground through the same hole to make the connection inside out of the weather.

Another point, you probably don't need to ground the splitter because Comcast should have installed a grounding block outside your house where the cable comes from a pole or underground. Unless the fittings are corroded, you should have a good ground all around.

Comp Cmndo
join:2003-08-12
Palm Beach Gardens, FL

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Re: [Install] curious about grounding

Click for full size
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Service entries for power have a ground rod, required by National Electric Code. Telco & cable use the same ground rod. It's there, somewhere, could be buried.
rody_44
Premium Member
join:2004-02-20
Quakertown, PA

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I prefer split bolts, I really dont think it gets any better than that. Hooks to the main ground out to the ground rod. »www.alliedelec.com/searc ··· 70092108 I dont like going direct to the ground rod. I have seen instances where the electric loses its connection on the ground rod and the cable now becomes the ground when connected to the ground rod. Not a good thing at all for your cable to become your main ground.
rody_44

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Re: [Install] Re: curious about grounding

In Telcodads picture i would go with something like this. You would just remove one of the screws from the meter base (preferred on the lower side which isnt always there so rain doesnt get in) If you use it on the upper side of the base make sure you silicone it up. You dont want water dripping into the meter base.

Streetlight
join:2005-11-07
Colorado Springs, CO

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Streetlight to rody_44

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Re: [Install] curious about grounding

rody_44,

Good pic! Forgot about the split bolt connector. When I went to Home Depot they didn't have them but had a package of two devices with two bolts, one for each wire. In the current discussion both the wire to the ground rod and the added ground wire are fitted in the slot between the hex head and the nut.

The best, and only, way to ground added stuff is to go to the bare copper wire connected to the ground rod and not through steel conduit or water pipes. This includes three prong electric outlets where the round outlet is the ground conductor going back to the mains box that's connected to the ground rod, copper all the way. Often you can't see insulating materials such as plastic connectors or piping between the contact point and the actual dirt. In my house, for instance, the water meter in the basement is made of plastic and would insulate any electrical ground connection using the copper plumbing upstream from the earth.
mjohnson4580
join:2010-01-18
Brooklyn, MD

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Re: [Install] Re: curious about grounding

Is it better to use just a bare copper wire or does it really matter?

telcodad
MVM
join:2011-09-16
Lincroft, NJ

1 edit

telcodad

MVM

said by mjohnson4580:

Is it better to use just a bare copper wire or does it really matter?

AFAIK, it doesn't matter as far as providing a ground, as long as it's at least 6 gauge.