Coaxial Cable MELTING!! - Montana Owners Club

bigred715 · 12-29-2011, 02:43 PM

I am down in Mesa Az. in Orangewood Shadows RV park. I had cable,phone and internet hooked up. After 9 days my coaxial cable melted and cut off service behind my TV. The loop that comes out of the wall melted the plastic plate and melted the cable ends. Cable company fixed it and then 7 days later it melted the cable where it attaches in the outside compartment. A service tech that came couldn't figure it out and the people at Keystone are baffled so far.The pedestal was checked, the tech ran numerous tests and no results so far. Keystone wanted pictures emailed to them and we did that today. Just don't want our trailer to burn down while they are trying to figure it out.

Weldon · 12-29-2011, 04:31 PM

I would not use it till I found out something. I was under the opinion that there was not much current running through that cable (unless it is connected to something it is not meant to connect to). I will be watching to see what the answer is.

firetrucker · 12-29-2011, 04:36 PM

Melting is due to heat which is generated by lots of current. There could be a ground problem with the system that is causing a ground loop. That is that two points in the system that are supposed to be at ground potential are not, and there is a lot of current flowing through from one point to the other. It doesn't take a lot of difference in voltage to produce a lot of current.
There could be a bad neutral or ground at the pedestal, or leakage from the hot side of the power line to the shield of the cable, or some combination of things. This sounds like a park problem, and they are going to have to get someone with some smarts to find the problem, but it also could be internal to your trailer. You could have a bad neutral in your power cable so that the current is using the cable as the neutral, or ground.
This has some potentially serious consequences. Disconnect the cable (which may not the the source of the problem, but it will keep it from melting again), and have this checked immediately.
If it's the park's problem, you might solve it if you move to another site.

Bob

camper4 · 12-30-2011, 12:15 AM

I agree with Firetrucker. Those are the most likely causes. And above all, disconnect until you get it repaired.

CORattler · 12-30-2011, 01:53 AM

A melting coax cable? There should be zero electrical current running through it. It's sole purpose is to carry signal. I agree with others, disconnect from pedestal immediately. If you have a voltmeter and are comfortable with it you may want to test the coax for current.

mhs4771 · 12-30-2011, 04:50 AM

It does almost sound like the Monty is using the cable shield as part of the Ground Return. I would be worried about damage to the TV, Stereo, Sat Rcvr or anything connected. Something is seriously wrong.

bigred715 · 12-30-2011, 11:20 AM

I have disconnected the cable from the trailer. The park sent their electrician out to check pedestal and said it was putting out the proper voltage. He checked for lose wires. I had the surge protector hooked up the first time and the cable melted. Could not keep protector turned on the second time because of a reading of over 132 volts. Unplugged surge protector and 7 days later it melted cable again. Have since replugged surge protector and is running fine. We had a brown out in the area about the time my surge protector wouldn't stay on. Informed Keystone of problem along with pictures of damage, stating this is a fire hazard yesterday afternoon and haven't heard back from them. Not good response from Keystone.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 12-30-2011, 12:19 PM

bigred715

I have no idea if this is part of your no response, but, in SOME years past, Keystone has shut down for the holidays.

Does not help you, just thought I would toss it out as a possible reason for no returned email.

Good luck, be careful, you are dealing with a dangerous situation, but, you know that.

Another thought to toss out, is there a(nother) mobile RV repair guy hanging around out there?? I know, but, when we are talking such a serious situation, you need to consider any and all options.

firetrucker · 12-30-2011, 02:24 PM

Voltage alone is not a good measure of the problem you're having. Do a voltage check at the pedestal on each hot leg to neutral, and to ground, and across neutral and ground. Check the continuity of your power cord of each leg and between legs and at the connector on the trailer (with the main breaker off). I'm pretty sure the cable shield is ground, so there should be no continuity between it and neutral when the cable isn't connected to the pedestal.
These tests may identify, or at least help pinpoint the problem.

Bob

CORattler · 12-30-2011, 06:14 PM

Good advice, Bob!

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by firetrucker

Voltage alone is not a good measure of the problem you're having. Do a voltage check at the pedestal on each hot leg to neutral, and to ground, and across neutral and ground. Check the continuity of your power cord of each leg and between legs and at the connector on the trailer (with the main breaker off). I'm pretty sure the cable shield is ground, so there should be no continuity between it and neutral when the cable isn't connected to the pedestal.
These tests may identify, or at least help pinpoint the problem.

Bob

Champ_49 · 12-31-2011, 12:39 AM

This is why an EMS is the way to go. If there is a problem at the pedestal the unit protects your unit and shuts it down. It also displays the problem if there is one at the pedestal. In my opinion, these EMS (electrical management system) should be standard equipment on all RV's due to the fact your always changing power sources and have no idea what you are plugging in to. When I get to my CG site the first thing I do is plug in that EMS and check out the power so if there is a problem I can either move to a different site, or they may be able to fix the problem that even the CG is not aware of. Its a worthwhile investment to say the least.

After I read once again the main topic of this thread I may have mistaken what is happening here. Unless there is a possibility of power actually bleeding over to the coax because of a bad ground causing the problem. I may be out of line here.

Dave

**DQDick** · 12-31-2011, 04:04 AM

Still makes the EMS good advice.

8.1al · 01-04-2012, 12:40 PM

bigred715, have you isolated your problem?

bigred715 · 01-05-2012, 02:45 PM

Thanks for all the response. Team Keystone has been in tgouch with me the past few days. They are working on it but never have had this problem. They talked to Cox cable and said they do run some light voltage thru their coaxial and Keystone said their system isn't designed for that. That was the support group from Cox. Their tech who came out said they don't have low voltage thru their cable. I am beginning to think it is the black box provided by Cox for the internet and telephone. The cable runs into one side and it also plugs into a 110 outlet. Maybe power is bleeding over somehow. We are going to have a Cox tech come out and test the black box. I still may just cancel the phone and internet service, eliminating the black box and go with just cable.

8.1al · 01-05-2012, 04:13 PM

Thanks bigred, this must be frustrating to say the least.

mhs4771 · 01-06-2012, 05:36 AM

Don't know how a the cable company does it, but a normal landline phone does have a voltage on the line, used to power the ringer. Again, don't know about that cable box, but at one time some older TVs had one side of their chassis connected to one side on the AC line. Was fine as long as you didn't remove the polarized plug and the outlet was wired correctly. So many possiblities, but diffently shouldn't be melting the coax.

mtheo · 01-07-2012, 04:31 AM

Well, I as a retire fire captain and fire/arson investigator I have seen numerous house fires and melted wires from systems with bad or no grounds or neutrals. Elctricity will seek a the path of least resistance. You need to have all your grounding pionts checked.

Phil P · 01-07-2012, 08:16 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by mtheo

Well, I as a retire fire captain and fire/arson investigator I have seen numerous house fires and melted wires from systems with bad or no grounds or neutrals. Elctricity will seek a the path of least resistance. You need to have all your grounding pionts checked.

I second that.

There is something not grounded correctly.

Phil P

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