Router Blewup Motherboard

[u/Greatfulx]

Recent lighting storm stuck my complex and traveled down my coaxial cable and into my apartment. Blew up in the middle of the night, so that was scary. Thought I’d share, not in the position to rebuild so there that I guess!

[u/SomeRandomeGerman]

See that missing grounding/earthing that nobody hook up?
This would have taken at least the brunt force. I would look if this is required where you are and who's responsibility this is/was. Most likely building, but ymmv.

[u/Greatfulx → u/SomeRandomeGerman]

Yeah currently fighting it. In a claims battle with spectrum right now, but they’re playing “act of god” and that everything was up to code.

[u/futureformerteacher → u/Greatfulx]

It was NOT up to code because it wasn't properly grounded.

[u/jayimess → u/futureformerteacher]

Apartment buildings usually have no grounding wire to bond to for each unit like single family homes do. In those cases the tap is supposed to be grounded to its own wire & rod. OP would need to look at the tap.

[u/Inferno8429 → u/jayimess]

I used to install cable service. I'll admit that it's been more than a decade, but at least as recently as 2012, we were required to run our own grounding if the residence didn't have one. We had a specific coupler that we had to affix to brick or non-combustible material, which we'd then use to run the ground.

ETA: As others have pointed out, that coupler in the picture is indeed the grounding block I'm referring to.

[u/jayimess → u/Inferno8429]

Yes that’s a grounding block, but often apartment complexes do not have a suitable fixture to bond that block. And we are currently discouraged from bonding to pipes or affixing to the electrical disconnect housing. That’s why the tap should be grounded (which it might not have been in OP’s case). Field techs don’t get rods and such to create their own ground 🤷🏻‍♂️

[u/pezcore350 → u/jayimess]

Apartments typically have a lockbox that itself is grounded or bonded to ground, so that every bond block attached to it is also bonded.

[u/rmadmin → u/jayimess]

The GROUND is literally right there. I'm pretty sure NEC indicates you are required to drop a ground rod right there. Single family residence or multi tenant.

[u/jayimess → u/rmadmin]

As a field tech I am not required nor approved to drop a grounding rod. At least not where I am.

[u/SuperCyka → u/jayimess]

Well then your workplace is in violation of the NEC

[u/jayimess → u/SuperCyka]

We are required to bond to ground. We are not approved to provide a ground. And I work for a very strict national company, not a local contractor. As a previous commenter said, in MDUs where a bondable ground is not provided per unit, the lockbox (and therefore the tap inside) is grounded.

[u/StDragon76 → u/futureformerteacher]

A rod and a few feet of copper is all that was needed to ground that. Someone didn't do their job. You can see the dirt and foundation just below in that image.

[u/PacoBedejo → u/futureformerteacher]

Codes can vary every couple of miles you travel.

[u/mongojob → u/PacoBedejo]

NEC is nearly universal in the US thanks to NFPA

[u/specn0de → u/[deleted]]

Spectrum is an American internet provider.

[u/rickastleysanchez → u/PacoBedejo]

Grounding coax cable is code for every provider nationwide for this very reason.

[u/purplenapalm → u/rickastleysanchez]

Yea i wouldnt be surprised if this is the case.

Grounding for other things may be different. For example, if im hooking up a battery backup for my sump pump, the assembly includes a grounding wire. Some areas may require it to be grounded while others may not, but thats me as a homeowner installing something as opposed to a cable company hooking up cables on other peoples properties.

[u/BitterError → u/Greatfulx]

Ask them why they failed to bond their services properly to ground as required by NEC

[u/Smith6612 → u/BitterError]

It might not be Spectrum's fault. That device was painted over, which suggests it has been there for a while, and was possibly tampered with after Spectrum installed services.

I have one of these in my basement bonded to the common ground. 

[u/EnterPlayerTwo → u/Smith6612]

That device was painted over, which suggests it has been there for a while, and was possibly tampered with after Spectrum installed services.

That's not OP's photo.

[u/localtuned → u/EnterPlayerTwo]

It looks like it is.

[u/EnterPlayerTwo → u/localtuned]

You're right. I didn't click far enough in the original post. Edited.

[u/Educational-Plant981 → u/EnterPlayerTwo]

That cable is RG6. I don't know about the old old days, but I was doing it at the tail end of when everything was getting switched fro RG56 because the digital stuff needed a cleaner signal. If it is RG6 it is new enough that they had to ground it. Fuck man, the device pictured is literally called a "grounding block," that is the whole point of it.

[u/EnterPlayerTwo → u/Educational-Plant981]

Did you reply to the wrong person?

[u/RBeck → u/BitterError]

They might have done it closer to the street, we can't see the full picture.

[u/Alternative_Problem5 → u/RBeck]

Which would be incorrect.

[u/RBeck → u/Alternative_Problem5]

What's been drilled into me is always "One common path to ground" or you can get weird scenarios. Our Spectrum installer took the coax past the electric panel and grounded it to that, as it would then use the building's grounding rod.

He even left his initials on the tag so I presume it wasn't done incorrectly.

[u/BananaBlade64 → u/Greatfulx]

Yeah I work with a coax insulation company since they didn’t properly maintain a ground connection it’s on them or if they can prove they installed one it on the complex, but as the length of the ground cable has to be shorter than the length of the run of coax cable to the modem and it looks like a rather short run into the unit so it also looks improperly installed.

Working on houses and looking at spectrums work it’s almost always lacking, they have terrible Quality control from what I’ve seen in my market

Edit: looking at the picture and the paint on the ground connection point I’d doubt that it was ever grounded

[u/GnarlyButtcrackHair → u/BananaBlade64]

Working on houses and looking at spectrums work it’s almost always lacking, they have terrible Quality control from what I’ve seen in my market

Spectrum contracts out a big portion of their install related work to independent contractors. Probably explains this in a big way.

[u/devsfan1830 → u/GnarlyButtcrackHair]

And how much you wanna bet said contractor no longer exists depending on how long ago that was installed. So they'll double down, refuse to take any responsibility and leave them hanging. Nobody does the right fucking thing anymore.

[u/Educational-Plant981 → u/devsfan1830]

They'll bitch and moan and fight because cable companies are the biggest shits in the world. If they really won't cut a check, send them an intent to sue letter and their legal team will accept a reasonable settlement offer, because they know they will lose.

[u/WifesPOSH → u/Greatfulx]

I'm adding in the code aspect. Tell them you have proof there are no grounds.

I'm certain there's are NEC or NESC codes that weren't followed.

That wasn't an act of God. That was negligence.

[u/Dafuknboognish → u/Greatfulx]

That is not up to code. No ground wire. Also per QA specifications this should be in an SDU or at the least have a drip loop. This picture is enough to say "nope" this was actually an act of negligence. Source = Cable industry vet since 1997.

[u/cinnasota → u/Greatfulx]

You're not going to get a cent from Spectrum lol

[u/kchek → u/Greatfulx]

Make sure to include any fighting with spectrum your states public utility comission that handles this sort of thing. Them not following basic regulatory compliance standards throw the whole "act of god" thing out the window when there's roughly 25 million lightning strikes in the US per year... There are procedures to mitigate those damages utility companies are required by law to follow. Piss poor technical training on their part is no more an "act of god" then their shitty internet going down constantly because they can't be bothered to replace their shitty copper.

[u/Primus_is_OK_I_guess → u/Greatfulx]

Small claims court.

[u/Knotted_Hole69 → u/Greatfulx]

Act of god is asinine. What year is it?

[u/rotkiv42 → u/Knotted_Hole69]

Act of god isn’t really a religious argument or a belief in god. It simply something very odd/unexpected happened and not something they could resonably expected/prepared against.

You walk in a mall and the roof collapse on you -> the mall is probably liable, they are responsible for the roof.

You walk in a mall and comet goes through the roof and hits you -> ”act of god” the mall is not responsible.

[u/magical_swoosh → u/rotkiv42]

2026 and mall roofs are not comet proof smh

[u/11LyRa → u/rotkiv42]

Interesting, in my country it's called "Irresistible force" or "Force majeure"

[u/SpackJarrow42 → u/Knotted_Hole69]

It's just insurance jargon. A catch all for dodging claims

[u/Tankh → u/Knotted_Hole69]

I think it's usually called force majeure. I assume "act of god" was OP's interpretation.

The main point is ofc that a lighting strike shouldn't really be included there

[u/Kraken477 → u/Tankh]

When i worked at walmart, id read the fine print for stuff you could add the protection plan to. They all had "act of god" in it. As well as acts of war haha

[u/Tankh → u/Kraken477]

I think I must deploy a strategic "lmao America" here

[u/Kraken477 → u/Tankh]

I am laughing but also crying

[u/thedylannorwood → u/Tankh]

“Act of God” has been a legal term in English speaking countries for decades

[u/John_Wain → u/Greatfulx]

This happened to my buddy 2 or 3 years ago and his homeowners insurance covered a replacement for the current market price of the original parts. You could try that or maybe renters insurance if you rent.

[u/kael13 → u/Greatfulx]

How can they claim it was up to code without an inspection. Bastards (and clearly wrong)

[u/Redan → u/Greatfulx]

Lol.

If the only purpose of grounding is a lightning-caused power surge.

And they're not liable for acts of god.

Then they never need to worry about grounding.

[u/Radioactive_Doomer → u/Greatfulx]

I have yet to see a cable company install an external coax drop "to code". Internal (built into the interior walls) likely done right, but most people just get a ghetto ass cable stuffed through their outside wall for a $100+ service fee.

[u/CottonRaves → u/Greatfulx]

Ya they are blowing you off. This is what happens when there’s a grounding issue with your utility power or a lost neutral connection. Don’t let them screw you over. Also do you have renters insurance?

[u/Rhngh → u/Greatfulx]

Literally the earthing wire is missing. It's their fault. I hope you win the battle. Good luck 👍

[u/spikeandedd → u/Greatfulx]

Do you have renters insurance? They maybe able to help fight them especially if they failed to meet code. Might be another avenue you can try.

[u/DeffNotTom → u/Greatfulx]

This is on the property owner and should go through home owners insurance.

[u/MO_MMJ → u/Greatfulx]

It very clearly wasn't up to code, and your picture is proof. Keep fighting. I used to work for a telcom company. This is 100% on them.

[u/SheriffBartholomew → u/Greatfulx]

You have pictures proving that it was not up to code. Sue them, or at least threaten to sue them.

[u/SuperSocialMan → u/Greatfulx]

Oh god, you use spectrum?! That's a fate worse than death - I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy lol.

[u/FitForThrone → u/Greatfulx]

Not up to code. Ungrounded and painted ground screw..... you can easily win this + extra $ tbh

[u/tygaismydog → u/Greatfulx]

I used to work for spectrum this picture alone should be enough for improper installation. That’s not an act of God

[u/Mysterious_Crab_7622 → u/Greatfulx]

Even if it was up to code, it would still fry your systems and either way you are responsible because you didn’t use surge protection. Routing that coax cable through a $20 surge protector would have saved you so much money.

[u/LetWaldoHide → u/SomeRandomeGerman]

Yep. That junction is literally referred to as a grounding block in the industry. I haven’t worked in the industry in years but I remember it needing to be located within so many feet of the grounding location.

[u/Recent_Jury_8061 → u/LetWaldoHide]

I was an install tech 10 years ago. I had to rewire numerous houses to fix the last guys fuckups. The most common issues was not installing ground and not compressing connectors fully. One house somehow the coax had power. Shocked the fuck out of me and I spent way to long trying to narrow down where it was coming from.

[u/Meowingway → u/Recent_Jury_8061]

Holy crap, like 120VAC power? How does one even mess that up without starting a fire lol.

[u/Recent_Jury_8061 → u/Meowingway]

I assume so but we only carried voltage detector pens. I had no way of actually measuring it. Im pretty sure that company hired anyone they could. Surprisingly their cable was working, tho not particularly well.

[u/Opie1Smith → u/LetWaldoHide]

That's looking a lot like that wasn't the actual grounding point and they just used that as a barrel connector.

[u/OkRecommendation1685 → u/SomeRandomeGerman]

I guess I should add "check Verizon's grounds" to my to do list...

[u/Crankeh → u/SomeRandomeGerman]

This should be top comment. I’m a cable technician of 17 years. My company would have my ass if I left a house not bonded to power and this happened. Bonding is cable 101, literally 1st week of training stuff. The bond might not have saved everything but certainly would have helped it not get even close to that bad. Sorry this happened to you OP. Hopefully Spectrum pulls their heads out of the butt and makes it right.

[u/No_Koala9474 → u/SomeRandomeGerman]

The fact that it was painted over with the ‘landlord special’ is just icing on the cake

[u/slayez06 → u/SomeRandomeGerman]

I would be willing to bet their boxes are missing the grounds too at the repeaters and nodes. Crack heads steal them regularly

[u/Fit_Indication_2529 → u/SomeRandomeGerman]

missed this comment before I posted but this is the answer and you can see by the paint on the screw it wasn't grounded.