Earth ground via cable TV antenna? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: fretless
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2014, 12:08:58 pm
content: Hey guys,so winter has come and static is all around me. It would be cool to get rid of all the static for electronics work, but the problem is that my house has no earth ground. Since its winter, it would be almost impossible to hammer a pipe into the ground, plus i live in the third floor of an apartment building. So I started thinking of where else I could harness the earth ground, and then I thought of cable tv antenna's:Are those earth grounded? If not always, how could i check?

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2014, 12:30:48 pm
content: Sounds like a really bad idea to me.Clip a antistatic wrist strap to the cable TV shielding and you may end up more likely to damage chips that with no strap at all.

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2014, 12:36:19 pm
content: Do you have copper water pipes?

author: fretless
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2014, 12:57:55 pm
content: Nope, this is a soviet era building with steel pipes. Would it still work?

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2014, 12:58:58 pm
content: Quote from: fretless on February 02, 2014, 12:57:55 pmAssuming they end up in the dirt, way better than nothing.

author: Legit-Design
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2014, 01:08:00 pm
content: Electrical box, where your fuses are located. That box is usually made of metal and is grounded properly. Where I live old style grounding is done with just a loop of wire inside the outlet, since wires are live and ground, some places have live and live. Modern style of grounding is done with proper yellow green wire all the way to electrical box. Kitchen stainless steel sinks or counter tops should be grounded. Hot water heater. Bathrooms should have protective earth outlets.What about just making sure everything is in same potential? And charges have to dissipate and equalize. Doesn't have to be just the exact protective earth, but then you need to make sure there is no danger of electric shock, which might be easier said than done.

author: fretless
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2014, 04:55:52 pm
content: Eh, I guess an old house doesn't necessarily mean no earth. Measured the sockets I'm using for all my computer and test equipment and it measured as following:Live - Neutral : 230 VACLive - Earth : 229 VACNeutral - Earth : 1-2 VACAlso, the multimeter doesn't show OL (keeps jumping between Kohm and Mohm ranges) when measuring resistance between the steel radiator and earth, so I guess the socket is properly earthed?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2014, 05:11:11 pm
content: If it is steel conduit then the conduit is earth. Was used long ago, but with time the conduit rusts and the connection is lost. I have had to replace some wiring where that happenned and you cannot pull the cabling out from it to run in new with an earth from the damage, so have to go surface.

author: madires
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2014, 05:46:09 pm
content: The best idea is to check the main distribution panel first, since neutral might be earthed. The tubing might be also earthed to prevent any hazards, even if you can't measure any resistance between earth and tubing (rust or some piece replaced by plastic tubing). Cable TV should be earthed too at the point where the cable enters the building. I suggest to check everything step by step.BTW: Using the antenna cable as earth is a very bad idea. A proper earth connected to the main distribution panel is the best way!