DIYbanter - View Single Post - Coax cable carries electrical current? What is wrong?

Ross Mac wrote:

wrote in message
...

On Thu, 24 Nov 2005 05:25:45 GMT, (Beachcomber)
wrote:

On Wed, 23 Nov 2005 22:51:52 -0500, "miamicuse"
wrote:

I got a good quality one to four video splitter so tonight I got up to
the
attic and disconnected the old splitter. Nothing unusual.

Then I connect the new cable IN, then one by one I connect the cable OUT.
When I get to the last one I felt a strong tinkling on my finger, you
know
when you rub your shoe on the carpet a few times and go touch a metal
railing? Yes that feeling...I dropped the splitter. Is it static? I
don't
know. So I touched the splitter, which at that time has the one IN cable
and three OUT cables connected, and nothing, it's OK. Then I let go of
the
splitter and touch the last coax cable connector - nothing...so I touched
the splitter with my left hand and the remaining cable connector with my
right hand, yes I feel it again. What is going on?

I then left the attic and when to the other end of that cable, which was
at
the time plugged into a VCR, which in turn was connected to the TV and
they
were running. I unplugged the connector on this end, went back to the
attic
and no more problem. So I hooked the last connector up.

Then I came back down and put the cable connector back to the VCR.

What caused this? Does this mean I have an electrical problem with that
TV
or VCR?

Thanks,

MC

Although Coax Cables are routinely configured to carry DC for
satellite dish LNA's and LNB's, your problem sounds like a ground
fault (one or more of your devices) is not grounded properly. It
could be the device itself or it could be that the electrical outlet
the device is plugged into has a poor or non-existent ground. If your
source is Cable TV, the ground fault could be coming into your house

from the cable company.

Get a voltmeter and check for potential difference between the outer
conductors shield before you connect. This is more accurate than
getting "shocked".

Beachcomber

VCR's are never grounded. Test that first. If it has a standard
plug, reverse the plug and test again. If its polarized (one prong
wider), your outlet might be reverse wired.

Mark

I tend to agree with the above post that your problem might be a reversed
neutral / hot connection. Since the VCR probably has a polarity plug just
maybe your outlet has the hot and neutral switched. Carefully pop the plate
and pull the outlet from the box. Take a meter and insert the probe into the
large prong socket and place the other probe on the bare or green ground
wire. If you see more than a couple of volts like maybe 110 or more than you
need to switch the wires.
Good luck, Ross

Better still, go to HD/Lowes and get one of the $10 neon testers that
will quickly tell you whether all the wires in your outlets are properly
connected.

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