Here is the image of the circuit breaker that trips everytime i connect the set top box. I reversed the plug in the outlet and unfortunately it didn't fix the problem.Strong Eagle wrote:Are you sure it's a circuit breaker and the the ground fault circuit interrupt breaker? Most all houses and apartments in Singapore are equipped with a GFCI breaker. I would tend to agree with PNGMK.
Have you tried reversing the plug in the outlet for the set top box? I bet your problem will go away.
Also, i have noticed another interesting quirk. I have connected my step down transformer to a fancy belkin surge protector that i have been using for some time. It has two indicators that read "Protected" and "Not Grounded".PNGMK wrote:US appliances often have the neutral connected to the earth internally - why? I don't know but probably something to do with Thomas Edison who was an idiot who founded the company I work for. This needs to be disconnected somehow - it's not enough to use a two wire power connection as the chassis will then be connected to neutral (which is easily swapped with live through bad wiring practices or use of two pin plugs). At some point here the chassis earth is being connected to real earth (probably via hooking up the set top box) and that's tripping the ELCB as N is now to E. Find someone semi intelligent who owns a DMM and is confident enough to trace through the internal PSU wiring or use an isolation transformer. Paging SE who will no doubt begin an electrical standards debate with me. AS3000 for the win!
This is definitely a GFCI device... a ground fault interrupt circuit breaker. You are experiencing a ground leak somewhere and based upon your post to PNGMK below, I'd say you have a faulty transformer.watours wrote:Here is the image of the circuit breaker that trips everytime i connect the set top box. I reversed the plug in the outlet and unfortunately it didn't fix the problem.Strong Eagle wrote:Are you sure it's a circuit breaker and the the ground fault circuit interrupt breaker? Most all houses and apartments in Singapore are equipped with a GFCI breaker. I would tend to agree with PNGMK.
Have you tried reversing the plug in the outlet for the set top box? I bet your problem will go away.
The transformer is:PNGMK wrote:Without knowing if the step down transformer is an auto transformer or a standard type I really can't comment. Take a picture of it and post it. This is all point to a ground loop or earth leakage issue as I suspected. Also can you post the model number of the TV?
Bingo! Hadn't thought about that style of transformer and I was wondering how come he wasn't isolated when he has a step down transformer in the mix. Also very dangerous if you happen to be part of the ground loop.PNGMK wrote:side topic: what's the problem with auto transformers you ask? they don't isolate - they use a single coil and take a tap off it to step down - they are extremely risk to use as if the winding fuses you end up with 220V on the output. Secondly they do not isolate - which creates the possibility of ground loops as we see here.
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