I’ve been considering getting cable internet since DSL isn’t available at my location. I’m thinking about running PVC conduit myself alongside & under the house for routing the incoming cable, since most hookups I’ve seen done by the cable companies (through siding & under eaves) look like they would potentially leak through the penetrations (no drip loops), & many homes had their cable lines torn down in ice storms this year.
I’m just wondering if it’s permissable to add a second, separate weatherhead on the side of the house just for cable. I live in a rural area with no obvious restrictions or codes, but would like to comply with NEC code & accepted electrical practice, even if this is just a low-voltage application. A weatherhead seems like a sturdy, professional way to tie the cable onto the house.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
Replies
I am not sure why you just don't do it the way the other 100 million cable users do. If there is no drip loop, don't accept the installation. Also be sure they ground to your service ground electrode.
I appreciate both responses so far.
Regarding grounding to the service ground that gfretwell brings up, I've yet to ever see this with local installations I've looked at locally. The typical installation simply has the cable run straight into the home, split to various appliances (TV, computer, etc.), & then have the coaxial cable route connection route through an AC surge protector. My phone service box & electrical meter are both on the side of the house that I plan to have the cable come into (closest to the pole), & the phone line grounds to the electric meter's ground wire with a screw-on grounding block. How exactly does a coaxial cable ground to such an arrangement?
In regard to burying the cable, that's seldom done here with cable. (The phone companies do it commonly though.) And even with burial, I'm still looking at doing a decent job of routing the cable through the house, which takes me back to my original thought of simply routing to a weatherhead.
Why not have the cable co. run it underground to the house-then do your thing.
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Weatherhead should be fine. Just be sure to maintain the proper separation from the power line (3 feet???).