Solved! Coax causes breaker to pop when tv plugged in

[tpangborn]

Hello,

My breaker pops once I plug the coaxial cable from the tv (or cable receiver) to the wall connector. Electrician came the other day and said it was my TV. This is before i tried a cabe receiver and it shorted out the breaker also when I plugged the coax into it. My TV works on the next wall outlet 5 feet away so I figure its not my TV.

Why would plugging a coaxial cable from a device to the wall connector cause a breaker to pop? I opened the coaxial wall plate and its a simple coaxial cable with a female to female connector.

Any help would be fantastic as this is driving me crazy!

 

[fazers_on_stun]

My guess would be that somehow the coax cable is shorted or connected to a hot wire somewhere, probably the outer shield conductor which is generally connected to ground at the TV or cable box. Lucky you didn't electrocute yourself. I'd get a voltmeter and check it before connecting any more expensive gear to it.

 

[mhelm1]

The coax cable will ground the TV.
Is TV plugged into a Ground Fault Interupter?
Do you see any sparking when you touch the cable to the TV?
Do as f_o_s suggested. a meter measuring AC volts, one lead on the cable connector threads and the other to earth ground / or wher third prong plugs into.

 

[soundguruman]

cable companies transmit 70 volts AC through the trunk line to power their trunk amplifiers.
At the cable drop next to your house, there is a drop splitter that is supposed to block the voltage. It's not blocking it.
This is a cable company defect, and it is not your TV.
You might get the cable company to fix their equipment (good luck)
You can purchase a cable TV line isolation transformer, which blocks voltage at the entrance to your house. These are a bit expensive, but will prevent your TV from being destroyed.
Also, the cable company should have grounded the cable at the house entrance, which obviously they did not do.
Complain to the cable company, the city utilities commission, the city building inspector, or buy a cable TV isolation transformer.
http/www.mcmelectronics.com/product/33-8700