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Lightning Storm Got Me

4K views 19 replies 11 participants last post by  westom 
#1 ·
A crack of lightning and out went the s9 open box @ LNB. I put an old Sonicview 360 in it's place , that's when I realized the LNB was out. After the storm passed, I put an old chapparell in it's place.( one i got free for just taking the bud down). Since I don't have it hooked up to switch I'm only getting horizontal feeds. I then hooked the openbox back up and the picture is crazy! Multi color, static , lines going everywhere. I guess it is fried. Must have come through the coax because it was on a surge protector. For now sonicview is working. Funny that the sonicview & Ku dish in the shop weren't affected.
Looks like Dr Sat is gonna get a little business.
 
#3 ·
Grounding! Excellent topic.

Just curious -- did you have your Openbox and TV plugged into a Power Bar (BTW -- not a cheap power bar). It is my understanding that if Power Bars are utilized -- while not a full proof way of avoiding a "proper ground" -- they do represent the next best thing.

As far as the Openbox S9 -- do you have full control -- can you do a Factory Default? Can you re-install your "back-up" either through USB or through a Clone RS 232 with another S9 receiver?

Lights? 8888 or 7777? Do you need to "force" a proper boot via USB upgrade?

Maybe it is fried, but I have read on other sites (though never personally tested), where some people have been successful in bringing the S9 back up from "BRICK" status.
 
#5 ·
I then hooked the openbox back up and the picture is crazy! Multi color, static , lines going everywhere. I guess it is fried.
I'm curious if you have the same symptoms using both component video and HDMI? Have you tried them both?
 
#9 ·
Prevention injury or death is the primary reason for grounding. Prevention of fire and major property damage is second. Preventing damage to electronic equipment is a distant third.
 
#10 ·
@ Majortom, Surprise !!! the video component does work. The HDMI is still acting like an episode of star wars on steriods, but the component still works. Just have a lil issue with green people.

If I do a factory default, what will it entail for me to set up the box again?

I had the junction box grounded when i was running a Ku and C band both to the unit. But when I started having issues and trying to figure it out i hooked the cable direct to the bud bypassing the ku dish and grounding block. Surge had to have came in on coax because plasma tv, dvd player and pc all on same surge protector and they are fine.
 
#11 ·
@ Majortom, Surprise !!! the video component does work. The HDMI is still acting like an episode of star wars on steriods, but the component still works. Just have a lil issue with green people.

If I do a factory default, what will it entail for me to set up the box again?
Sounds like you need to upgrade the software. That will get rid of the Green tint in the component video output for sure (known software bug).

Anytime you upgrade software, or factory reset you will want to save the existing channels/transponder lists to a USB thumb drive first.
Then you can load it back on after the upgrade or factory reset is done. Personally I wouldn't bother with a factory reset. Instead take the SW upgrade route.

If you need assistance upgrading let me know, I have a good file you can use for the Openbox S9, to get rid of the green tint as well as get rid of the occassional stutter/freezing on certain feeds.
 
#13 ·
for the S9 this is the SW I would use, http://www.wydvb.com/download.asp, at the bottom of the page the one named SkyBox_S9_CMT_110717.rar

This will fix the Green tint in the Component Video Output, as well as fix the stuttering of various 720P HD feeds, like CBC, ABC, ION, so on.
 
#14 ·
> Surge had to have came in on coax because plasma tv, dvd player and
> pc all on same surge protector and they are fine.

First learn how surges do damage. A surge is an electric current that simultaneously exists everywhere in the path from cloud to earth. If a surge is incoming to a receiver, then the same current is also outgoing via some other path. Electricity as taught in elementary school science. A surge incoming on AC mains is the same current outgoing to earth via the coax connector. The naive will assume it entered o the coax. But that was the outgoing path to earth.

You have assumed a protector somehow stops what three miles of sky could not. It doesn't. Protector located adjacent to equipment does not even claim to protect from that type of surge. Superior protection already inside those other appliances protected them. Other damaged electronics acted as superior surge protectors. Created a better connection to earth.

No protector stops, blocks, or absorbs surges as you have assumed. Either the protector connects that current low impedance (ie 'less than 10 feet') to earth. Or that protector gives a surge even more paths destructively via an adjacent appliance.

The LNB was damaged. So what was the incoming and outgoing path via the LNB? One could be a direct strike to the dish. Through the LNB, through its coax cable, and then destructively via the receiver inside. Even human safety codes say that dish must be earthed. Not safety grounded. Earthed - a completely different ground. Then the path from cloud to earth need not pass through the LNB.

Another suggested grounding the coax. Yes. But coax must be earthed to the same ground rod used by AC electric and telephone. If not, then damage is made easier. Again - low impedance (a 'less than 10 foot' connection from coax to earth ground rod).

Protection is never provided by a protector. Effective protectors either connect that current low impedance (ie wire not inside metallic conduit, no splices, no sharp bends, etc) to single point earth ground. Or a protector does not do protection.
A hardwire from the coax to earth ground does best protection possible. No protector required. AC electric also needs protection. But AC electric wires cannot be hardwired to earth. So we make that connection via a protector instead of a wire. A protector (all protectors) is only as effective as its earth ground. A protector without earthing (ie located next to the receiver) does not even claim to protect from typically destructive surges.

Fix damaged appliances. And fix reasons for that completely avoidable damage.
 
#16 ·
Posted was protection understood by layman. You can do that yourself. Or just do the inspection and then have an electrician do it. For example, does the dish have a ground wire? Either go to any big box hardware store to buy that earth ground rod and wire. Or have an electrician install what the dish installer was supposed to install.

Anyone can answer this. "So what was the incoming and outgoing path via the LNB? One could be a direct strike to the dish. Through the LNB, through its coax cable, and then destructively via the receiver inside. ... Then the path from cloud to earth need not pass through the LNB."

Also quite simple. You assumed a protector and protection are same. "Protection is never provided by a protector. Effective protectors either connect that current ... to single point earth ground. Or a protector does not do protection."

Protection means your satellite dish enters at the service entrance. If not, the dish was installed defectively. "A hardwire from the coax to earth ground does best protection possible." Is the satellite dish coax wired to the same earth ground used by AC electric and telephone? Anyone (even a teenager) can make that critically important inspection.

Or report what you see (what exists) to learn more. Because your damage is directly traceable to a defectively installed dish system. Why did that current destructively use your LNB to connect to earth? An improper installation that might also violate human safety codes.
 
#18 ·
In my post I said that i had trouble with the ku dish and removed the coax from the switch and hooked coax directly to BUD. Thus bypassing the ground which was grounding the Ku dish and the BUD. I stated that i failed to properly ground the coax after this "experiment" to see if the Ku dish was giving me a problem. So I am relatively sure that was my problem.
Before I unhooked the coax I did not have the ground tied into the electrical of the house where the receiver was located, I had it tied to a ground rod driven into the earth. Are you saying that it must be grounded to the electrical system that the receiver is plugged in to ?

I really do appreciate the help given to me on this site, I just think it can be done without a condescending attitude.

Have a Nice Day :D
 
#20 ·
Are you saying that it must be grounded to the electrical system that the receiver is plugged in to ?
Wall receptacle safety ground ("where the receiver was located") is not earth ground. Earthing was defined such as "protector connects that current low impedance (ie 'less than 10 feet') to earth." That connection also must meet other important requirements such as "connect that current low impedance (ie wire not inside metallic conduit, no splices, no sharp bends, etc) to single point earth ground." Safety ground violates all requirements.

If grounded via safety ground, then a wall receptacle ground may simply make damage easier. Earth ground a surge; not the appliance. Safety ground is not earth ground.

Every wire inside every incoming cable must connect 'low impedance' to a single point earth ground at the service entrance. If any incoming wire is not earthed, then protection is compromised. All wires earthed by the same electrode - the single point earth ground.

Some "AC electric wires cannot be hardwired to earth. So we make that connection via a protector" A best and destructive path to earth may be via the receiver and its coax cable if an AC 'whole house' protector is not earthed

If lightning strikes the top of a dish. And connects to earth via a wire at the bottom. Then that current does not pass through and damage an LNB. Protection is about a path to earth that is low impedance (as short as possible. no sharp wire bends, no splices, etc), is separated from other wires, and connects to earth ground.
 
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