One for the tech heads.

[mudnut]

So the current still remains ATM and you have just insulated the antenna to get it going?

I've done a dozen or more antenna installs and have felt slight tickles when touch the antenna when it's mounted. Always use rubber gloves now

I was going to suggest-
Static generation from the antenna?
Or possible power output from the TV itself?

The voltage remains when power is off and the antenna is insulated, so the Antenna and TV are out of the equation.

[Agronaught]

The dc is not unusual. Of its a problem put a diode across the terminals/socket at the tv to short the dc to ground. I've had to do this in a unit where the may head amplifier was causing problems.

[mudnut]

How far are you from another nearest property / power supply? And how far is our house / antenna fro the tin can ? Could be the neighbors stray currents. If all else fails, I'd get Powercor to come and test the SWER, main earth, just in case.

The next doors house and shed are 140 -160 metres away. I have also had them turn off their electric fence to check that. Our power pole is 60 odd metres from our house.

There are Two earth stakes under the house, and the connections look clean and solid. The tiny 50 Hz AC ripple which appears on top of the DC voltage disappears when the main circuit is off. As it is SWER, I would expect a small leakage anyway.

At over $400 dollars to get a crew out and as it is a DC voltage, I am hoping to solve this.

All of the steel veranda poles are corroding at their base. I have replaced some , but they are starting to do the same.

[mudnut]

my head hurts

So is mine!!!

[mudnut]

I am having a thought... please don't laugh. I do get them occasionally. I wonder if it could be the land line telephone supply? As it sometimes gets a bad connection when a storm hits.

[Hodge]

At over $400 dollars to get a crew out and as it is a DC voltage, I am hoping to solve this.

$400?! They would actually charge you to come and look at it ? If there is even a slightest chance their electrical apparatus is faulty, they should be coming out no questions asked.

As per my post earlier, we had a similar case where a SWER tranny was feeding a telstra tower and was sending some of their DC equipment inside their comms shed under the tower, into fault modes all the time. They had a sparky come out and found a few stray currents, here and there, all very minimal. Eventually we went out and found a bad earth at the SWER sub. They were just corroded aluminium split bolts. Once rectified all their issues went away.
Not saying this could be your issues, but it does smell that way.

[mudnut]

When we had a power fault last year, the lady on the phone suggested that I check our side of things again, as they would charge us if the found it to be our problem.

[mudnut]

Well. I rang Telstra and explained that there is a voltage present. The response was ..."Since there is no fault with you phone at this time, we cannot send out a technician to check if there is a problem."

Weak as.

[Hodge]

When we had a power fault last year, the lady on the phone suggested that I check our side of things again, as they would charge us if the found it to be our problem.

Was it in relation to the same problem / symptoms ? I know when we go to a property, 2 or 3 times, and the issue is persistently on the customers side, then the company may charge call out fees. Same if the fuse keeps blowing due to overloading or customers faulty circuits.


I don't work for Powercor, which I'm assuming services your area being in the soutwest, so I don't know what sort of policies they are running.

I would love to see if isolating the tin can from HV, would solve your issues.

[Hodge]

I am having a thought... please don't laugh. I do get them occasionally. I wonder if it could be the land line telephone supply? As it sometimes gets a bad connection when a storm hits.

You never know mate. What sort of volts do the copper landlines run in normal circumstances ??