cable company shut down my internet for rf noise

[JAHGYDI]

OK should i be trippin on this or what?
i plugged my radio in and it is static when the light is on as soon as i unplug it clear as day. i even tried different plugs though out the apartment. i dont want to deal with this bs again. im calling company tomarrow to try an exchange but they are limited on what they have so i might be stuck with another lumatek. should i run my lights during the day or night? id rather day cause im asleep at night and home all day. the cable guy replaced 3/4 of all the cable in the apartment.

 

[SSHZ]

2 months ago I saw the cable company working on my cable box by the street. Naturally curious, I wondered by and asked what's up. They said they scanned the neighborhood for RF noise causing other customers to have problems with their internet. The issue was traced to my house. They told me then that if the problem continues and they can't fix the issues, they are going to have to cancel my service (internet,tv,phone). I told them "Direct TV here I come!"

They said they were going to try one more thing- replace a main junction box a few blocks away. And a supervisor may be calling to ask if he could come in the house and look for the source of the RF. I told him I'd have to ask the wife (ha, ha).

I had 2 1000 watt HP's (magnetic ballast) and 2 600 watt digi's running in 2 rooms. Both 1000 watt ballasts are 8-10 years old. I immediately ordered 2 new-version Lumatek 1000 watters- hooked them up. I love them- just don't use the Hortilux bulbs.

Haven't seen the cable company since. And my internet is running much, much better now. I'm assuming problem solved. :muscle

 

[Loudblunts]

good to see some info and chiming in from cable guys!!!

 

[JAHGYDI]

is my hortilux bulb making the noise? i dont have the funds to buy supplies. would i be raising suspision if i asked ?s every time i saw a cable guy around or should i ignore them and raise hell when my internet gets turned off? my wife works from home on the computor she is pissed havent told her its my med room thats causing problems.

 

[420Gator]

As a former cable guy, I can tell you that if you had new cable in ur apartment building that is shielded correctly, it wouldn't matter what kind of ballast you had...

I used to work in an area that has a 400 foot radio tower (Twin Peaks in San Fran)..

You wanna talk RF? 99% of the time, we replaced old cable with our new stuff and bang..problems solved

agreed, i used to work telecom (inside switch) so many wires and different types of routers, hard drives, generators etc in close proximity throwing off different signals. So long as its wired up nicely usually no problems

 

[sky high]

I was a cable guy in the late 80's....pre-internet. I saw plants and tray under TV styands with weed on em...and was always getting asked if i wanted a hit.

Fuck yeah. Cable sucks.....you have to be high to do that job/deal with the public...LOL.

No garden relocating will be going on here. I'm legal and in count and the only real fear I had revealing such info to the cable guy was like telling anyone else...RIPPERS! they can call the local cops...i'm in the damn computer as a legal MMJ patient as the po-po have been here before.

FYI, folks...the cable guy said that all it takes is a staple or U-shaped nail (used to hold up the romex to the joists/etc) rammed through the cable...or worse...for the staple to hit the cable AND possibly a run of copper/electrically charged 120V wiring. Either one... or CRAPPY, OLD WIRE will more than likely release more RF than your digital ballast will..

be safe, all

s h

 

[RMCG]

FWIW...

 

[CelticEBE]

I'm running two 1000 watt Lumateks. I don't have cable or internet. Should I be concerned about this interfering with my neighbors? I actually had the older Lumateks and they were causing interference with my Hydro Innovations Thermostat and after several phone calls to Hydro Innovations and Lumatek to try to find a solution, Lumatek sent me two new ballasts.

I'm just wondering if I am causing other people's service to be disrupted.

 

[lollipopman]

here is what most cable company's uses for cli techs...

shy hi your right anything that breaks through the cable that touches the center conductor will act like a antenna that will radiate out..

if the cable company disco's your cable and its still doing it, it means its not on their plant and they cant disco you.. all they want to do is fix the problem that way it wont show up on their ride out report... now when the FCC does their fly over and it show up on their report you have some thing to worry about.... also if you can find out what size mv leak it is any thing over 100 has to be fixed within 24hrs anything under that is not a big deal...

 

[headinthetrees]

It also might be prudent to check the grounding of your electrical system. Check both the grounds at each outlet and the grounding at the panel. Go through and tighten every neutral as well. Not sure about cable, but this can do wonders for electrical.

 

[HannaMan]

I recently moved into an older house with my 2 600 watt lumateks.

My internet keeps cutting in and out.. could this be the problem?

My closest neighbor is about 150 feet away...will I be effecting them?
There house was built much more recent.

Thanks!

 

[sky high]

Yo HannaMan.

I had the same issues. Thought it was the computer/Windows Vista..... but in the end it was the OLD coaxial cable.

If you can run a new drop straight to your modem/wireless you'll be able to see for sure if the wiring is the problem. (that's what I did and I don't think I've lost signal in 2-3 months now).

good luck

s h

 

[JAHGYDI]

ive been running my lights at night. the cable company has been in the area everyday since. no knocks on my door and no discos.

 

[JAHGYDI]

bastards turned my cable off again today. cable guy said there is alot of issues coming from my unit. he said it could be an issue with a ground and finding it is like a neddle in a hay stack. stuff like this could affect 1000s. he turned on cable and went on his way. this shit is getting old. my wife is getting pissed as she works from home of the computor and internet.

 

[Smokey503ski]

is my hortilux bulb making the noise? i dont have the funds to buy supplies. would i be raising suspision if i asked ?s every time i saw a cable guy around or should i ignore them and raise hell when my internet gets turned off? my wife works from home on the computor she is pissed havent told her its my med room thats causing problems.

If you are using digis and using Hortilux bulbs there is your problem. Hortilux are not made for electronic ballasts. It is something with the Hz. rating on the bulb.

Sunmaster bulbs work great in electronic ballasts and do not have the problem that the Hortilux bulbs do. Or get a bulb made to be used in a electronic ballast.

 

[JAHGYDI]

If you are using digis and using Hortilux bulbs there is your problem. Hortilux are not made for electronic ballasts. It is something with the Hz. rating on the bulb.

Sunmaster bulbs work great in electronic ballasts and do not have the problem that the Hortilux bulbs do. Or get a bulb made to be used in a electronic ballast.

it still fucks up my radio when i plug the ballast in with no bulb. my guess is the ballast not the bulb.

 

[wonka]

its not the bulb!!! if its a local shop then take the e-ballast back where u got it and exchange it for a magnetic.. tell them what is going on and i doubt they will have a prob with the swap... i posted earlier in this thread, my buddy had the same prob and took the ballast back for a mag... no more cable company!!!! w.wonka

 

[Quitters]

6 word solution

ditch the lumatek, buy a QUANTUM !!!



:call damn lol

 

[Hemphrey Bogart]

It's not the bulb, I can tell you that. If you want to be sure, grab a handheld am/fm radio, just a cheap one as it doesn't matter....place the radio around 5-10' from the ballast and turn it onto an "am" station, find a station that gets good reception. Now, turn on the ballast. Does it sound different? If you got a lumatek like mine, it should.

These digi ballasts give off excess RF, I don't care what anyone says. I've had the same lumateks for about 2 years now and can hear a buzz when I turn on any "am" station on the radio near a working ballast. When the ballast is off, there is no interference.

Seems like it might be easiest for you to switch to magnetic ballasts, but you know your situation better than I do. I love how quiet the digis are, so I'm not switching anytime soon.

 

[JAHGYDI]

Pile of shit fucks with fm stations too. What is the best magnetic ballast that i can get. Im not going to mess with digi again not even a quantum.