OT for a sec: US wiring sources of info

[Charles H. Dickman]

Jules Richardson wrote:

> So it seems to be something to do with the TV and cable box having a 
> connection via the aerial lead that's causing trouble, but only when 
> they're using certain power outlets.

Determine if there is a potential between the aerial lead and the TV or 
cable box.

A story, perhaps helpful, perhaps not:

A couple of years ago, the lights in my house dimmed and brightened 
noticably when the refrigerator would turn on or I would toast bread or 
iron a shirt. I came to the conclusion that the neutral lead into my 
house had excessive resistance. It was only a volt or two change when I 
measured it, so I didn't think it was a problem.

Later, I was changing some cable TV wires and noticed that one was 
actually warm to the touch. I went out to the telephone pole where the 
wire came out the soil from my house and it was HOT. I fiddled with the 
wire a bit and it melted and came apart, throwing sparks as it did.

The neutral conductor in the underground cable into my house failed at a 
buried junction. For some time, my house neutral currents were carried 
by the cable company's coax shield. It is interesting that none of the 
other "ground" connections carried much current back to the transformer 
on the pole. There were 5 paths to the pole: the neutral that failed, a 
groundrod, the water main, the gas main, and the cable wire, and all the 
current seems to have gone through the cable wire.

-chuck