Cable TV and Phone grounding

I have an old ground rod and I would like to ground my telephone service and cable tv too... what do I need to do this?

I assume I can get to the ground block in the cable demarc but the telephone I assume is on the locked side of the demarc.

The old grounds for both were snipped short... I could splice off the snipped wires, is that acceptable if I cant get into the telephone demarc?

(PS want to avoid having to call the cable and phone company and allow them on my property)

 

I would install an intersystem bonding bridge and extend the grounds to it.

Arlington GB5-1 White Intersystem Zinc Grounding Bridge with Plastic Cover, 4-1/2-Inch - Amazon.com

 

Is it supposed to be grounded to my electrical system? Can I use an old ground rod that used to serve as my electrical system?

THat device you mention suggests it gets bonded to my electrical system.

Can I splice ground wire to extend it?

 

If you drove another rod it would need to be bonded to any and all other electrodes.

A pic might give a better idea of the issue.

 

Yes I have a new ground rod that is used for my electrical service and I assume is properly bonded/installed by an electrician.

The demarc boxes for both tv and phone are next to the electric meter. The grounds for them were both either on the old ground rod or clamped to the riser. (I think to the riser)

When my new service was installed, they clipped them off and I have to either run new wire or splice and reattach. I have yet to do this, its been awhile.

Is this I should do or should I just call the phone co and cable co and have them out?

 

If the electricians that installed your service did not install an inter-system bonding bridge like Joe showed you could install one like this: Catalog Family This would replace the clamp you have now. Then just run a new wire from the clamp to wherever the TV and phone ground is connected now. No need to splice the wires, there should be a screw terminal on both where the ground wire goes.

 

For grounding you may reconnect to the snipped off ground wires.

For a landline phone there may be just two (copper, sometimes steel) wires from the utility pole. Neither is supposed to be grounded. If there is a third wire coming out of a still-in-use demarcation box that is supposed to be grounded then you may connect that to your ground.

The incoming cable TV line usually consists of a single conductor and a concentric shield, as a coaxial cable. The shield is to be grounded. It is a good idea to do this grounding at the first joint (plug and jack) probably at a demarcation box in the cable TV line.

THe above may be connected to a ground rod. This ground rod should be interconnected with (bonded to and becoming a part of) your home grounding electrode system if not already. Use a #6 copper wire to an already bonded ground rod or to the #6 copper wire (a grounding electrode conductor) going between the breaker panel ( the panel neutral bus bar inside) and other ground rods or water pipe.

If the cable TV line runs non-stop to the TV room then make the grounding connection there. Screwing the coax plug onto a cable box or TV that has a 3 prong plug is normally sufficient but you can also add a tab and #12/#14 single conductor to that junction and run this wire to any known ground such as a radiator nearby. Continuing this ground wire all the way down to the basement and to the grounding electrode system is better.

 

This is where I'd install the Arlington Intersystem Grounding Bridge, they are made to attach to that ground wire terminated at the ground rod. My second choice, if you cannot get on the ground wire, would be the bonding bridge that Tolyn linked to that actually clamps onto the ground rod. The electrician should have installed the bridge, it is a 2008 code requirement.

I've seen a variety of clamps that attach a low voltage system ground conductor to meter sockets and conduit risers/masts. My opinion is they are all hack jobs.

 

Thanks, I will have to investigate your suggestions.... the electrician I think neglected to connect the low voltage thinking its the cable phone co. responsibility.... he was just complaining about a lazy cable guys hooking up grounds to the electricians stuff.

That's the thing, neither are grounded now. They just snipped the wire and they are dangling from the demarcs

 

So install the grounding bridge (or get the electricians to do it) can run grounds wires from the Demarc connection point to the bridge.

I agree. Was this install inspected?

 

So I called the Telco and they just attached pipe strap and wire bolt to the conduit below the meter... that's how the old one was done too.

So this is bad? Just lazy?

So the conductor going from the ground rod into my meter enclosure is in pipe so I cant clamp right to it. Where exactly does the grounding bridge or that acorn clamp get attached too?

 

I think I already best described it, a hack job. I have seen the pipe strap ground by the various telephone companies many times.

It's a bit unusual to find the ground wire in conduit, but it is sometimes done. I hope it is either PVC conduit or metallic conduit properly bonded at each end. Regardless, I think I would shorten the conduit and install the bridge at 12 to 24 inches above grade. They are made so they will slip right over the #6 copper ground wire and then attach to the wall with two screws. I was describing the Arlington bridge, but they are all pretty similar. While you are doing this remember, your electrician should have done it.