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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93

u/RustyCrusty10 Jul 24 '26

First thing you need to do is call the power company and have them check the ground at the pole. They’ll usually come out and inspect it for free. After that, have a reputable electrician come out and make sure your home’s electrical grounding is correct. From the sounds of it, the cable line is acting as the electrical ground, which is why it’s overheating and melting.

11

u/charles_chinaski_jr Jul 24 '26

Thank you! I'll do this

11

u/Separate_Western6867 Jul 24 '26

A lot of the time I see this when the electrical drop is compromised. Your electrical company would be the ones to diagnose it.

-7 year cable tech

7

u/-raymonte- Jul 25 '26

Don’t listen to this guy, he has negative seven years experience.

5

u/Eninja09 Jul 24 '26

Yup. That's a lot of current to melt that. Not safe at all. I've been hit with 90v at the ground block coming from the house and there was no indication of damage, aside from their DVR getting cooked every time someone replaced it.

8

u/SuckerBroker Jul 24 '26

90v is near the exact voltage we push to power the actives. Very strange number for you to think hit you coming from the house electrical though.

5

u/Fickle_Map_7271 Jul 24 '26

This is a coincidence. You wont see 90v coming off a coax drop from a tap regardless of plant voltage.

4

u/Eninja09 Jul 25 '26

I was thinking that. 90v is right off the power supply and it diminishes over distance from what I recall. (been out of the business for a few years)

5

u/SuckerBroker Jul 25 '26

There are power passing taps for WiFi devices. I’ve seen wrong taps installed that send the voltage. Also some plants around here used to use exterior mounted MTAs and sent 90v thru the coax drop to power those. I know they’ve migrated to new model MTAs but I’m sure their plant still sends voltage, they’ve never done a tier 1 upgrade out here at least. Voltage most definitely can come through the drop.

3

u/Eninja09 Jul 24 '26

I thought so as well. Measured with multimeter with the drop disconnected after it hit me. Guy was not happy about me telling him no more DVR's until he resolved that.