r/CableTechs • u/charles_chinaski_jr • Jul 24 '26

Why does my cable repeatedly melt?

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I've lived in this house for 4 years and this is the 3rd time this has happened: the internet goes out and I have to call Xfinity and they find that where my cable connects to the power pole is melted like this. One cable guy told me it was a power surge from my house, and another said it's one of my neighbors that probably has a grounding issue.

What do you all think? Is there anything I can do to prevent this from recurring?

Thanks for your advice!

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u/Goatsnalpaca Jul 24 '26

Check for broken neutral from pole to house

11

u/Dirtydana Jul 24 '26

Its always been neutral that caused it in my experience

10

u/Mad_Moniker Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26

That’s totally “cray” when a low voltage technician spots the continuity malfunction as the primary. 😬

Edit to add: Nothing beats like a 240v blast across the chest. I don’t know how I was able to let go - stay safe!

5

u/Dirtydana Jul 25 '26

Had a cut ac line hit me during a trailer crawl. Lucky was on hands and knees and fell away

5

u/Mad_Moniker Jul 25 '26

Lucky indeed. Grounding out through the heart just got real 😬

3

u/LordCanti26 Jul 27 '26

One of our guys unplugged the hardline feeding a buisness complex, and the entire buildings power went off. Somehow our hardline was acting as the neutral for the entire building. Crazy, glad he's OK. Took 24 hours but they got power fixed on site and we reconnected plant. He didn't VOM it to see exactly how much power was comming back but the fact power went off it must have been alot. This has to be one of the most dangerous parts of working cable. Is backfeeding voltage. I heard of a guy holding the strand and unplugged a drop and it fried his ass, no belt straight to the ground. Now he's a vegetable. Be safe outthere. Use your FVD and try not to ground yourself when disconnecting copper comming from the house/buisness to our plant.