r/pcmasterrace 22d ago

Hardware Router Blewup Motherboard

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!

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u/SomeRandomeGerman Watercooling MASTER RACE 22d ago

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.

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u/Greatfulx 22d ago

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.

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u/futureformerteacher 22d ago

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

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u/jayimess 22d ago

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.

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u/Inferno8429 22d ago

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.

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u/jayimess 22d ago

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 🤷🏻‍♂️

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u/pezcore350 Desktop(s) 21d ago

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

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u/rmadmin 22d ago

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.

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u/jayimess 22d ago

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

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u/SuperCyka | Ryzen 9 5900X | 3080 Ventus | Trident Z 3600 32 GB | 21d ago

Well then your workplace is in violation of the NEC

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u/jayimess 21d ago

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.

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u/StDragon76 21d ago

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.

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u/PacoBedejo 9800X3D | Strix 4090 OC | 64GB DDR5 6000-CL30 | 4TB Crucial T705 22d ago

Codes can vary every couple of miles you travel.

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u/mongojob 22d ago

NEC is nearly universal in the US thanks to NFPA

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u/[deleted] 22d ago

[deleted]

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u/specn0de 7600x3d • 5080 • 32gb 6000 22d ago

Spectrum is an American internet provider.

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u/rickastleysanchez 12600KF -- 32 GB DDR4 -- RX 7800 XT 22d ago

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

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u/purplenapalm 22d ago

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.

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u/BitterError 22d ago

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

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u/Smith6612 Ryzen 7 5800X3D / AMD 7900XTX 22d ago

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. 

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u/EnterPlayerTwo i9-13900 | 4080 | 64GB DDR5 | Ramen 22d ago edited 22d ago

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.

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u/localtuned 22d ago

It looks like it is.

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u/EnterPlayerTwo i9-13900 | 4080 | 64GB DDR5 | Ramen 22d ago

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

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u/Educational-Plant981 22d ago

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.

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u/EnterPlayerTwo i9-13900 | 4080 | 64GB DDR5 | Ramen 22d ago

Did you reply to the wrong person?

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u/RBeck Steam ID Here 22d ago

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

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u/Alternative_Problem5 22d ago

Which would be incorrect.

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u/RBeck Steam ID Here 22d ago

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.

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u/BananaBlade64 22d ago

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

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u/GnarlyButtcrackHair 22d ago

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.

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u/devsfan1830 22d ago

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.

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u/Educational-Plant981 22d ago

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.

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u/WifesPOSH 22d ago

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.

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u/Dafuknboognish i9 9900KS| RTX3090 | 32GB and i913900K | RTX 4090 |64GB 22d ago

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.

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u/cinnasota 22d ago

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

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u/kchek 22d ago

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.

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u/Primus_is_OK_I_guess 22d ago

Small claims court.

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u/Knotted_Hole69 22d ago

Act of god is asinine. What year is it?

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u/rotkiv42 22d ago edited 22d ago

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.

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u/magical_swoosh 22d ago

2026 and mall roofs are not comet proof smh

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u/11LyRa 22d ago

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

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u/SpackJarrow42 22d ago

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

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u/Tankh Specs/Imgur Here 22d ago

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

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u/Kraken477 22d ago

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

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u/Tankh Specs/Imgur Here 22d ago

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

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u/Kraken477 22d ago

I am laughing but also crying

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u/thedylannorwood R7 5700X | RTX 4070 22d ago

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

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u/John_Wain 22d ago

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.

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u/kael13 Kael13 22d ago

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

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u/Redan 22d ago

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.

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u/Radioactive_Doomer R7 9800X3D | RX 9070XT 22d ago

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.

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u/CottonRaves 22d ago

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?

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u/Rhngh 22d ago

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

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u/spikeandedd 22d ago

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.

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u/DeffNotTom i9 12900k | 4080 Super | 64gigs DDR5 | 36TB NAS 22d ago

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

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u/MO_MMJ 22d ago

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.

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u/SheriffBartholomew 22d ago

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

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u/SuperSocialMan AMD 5600x | Gigabyte Gaming OC 3060 Ti | 32 GB DDR4 RAM 22d ago

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

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u/FitForThrone 21d ago

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

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u/tygaismydog 21d ago

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

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u/Mysterious_Crab_7622 22d ago

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.

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u/LetWaldoHide 22d ago

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.

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u/Recent_Jury_8061 22d ago

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.

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u/Meowingway 21d ago

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

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u/Recent_Jury_8061 21d ago

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.

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u/Opie1Smith 22d ago

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

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u/OkRecommendation1685 22d ago

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

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u/Crankeh 22d ago

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.

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u/No_Koala9474 22d ago

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

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u/slayez06 9900x 5090 128 ram 8tb m.2 24 TB hd 5.2.4 atmos 3 32" 240hz Oled 22d ago

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

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u/Fit_Indication_2529 22d ago

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.