# HDMI makes huge spark!!!



## cwcox2 (Dec 15, 2008)

ok so here is the set up:

i have a 50" samsung plasma
a hd reciever connecte via hdmi cable to one port on the tv
a blue ray player connected via hdmi cable to another port on the tv

i just bought a ps3 and wanted to hook it up using a hdmi cable

i pluged in the ps3 into the wall and left it turned off. I was watching tv so I left the satalite on and unlpuged the hdmi out of the back of the blue ray. I then went to plug it into the ps3 and...HUGE SPARK.. about fried my hdmi port. and blew out the direct tv reciever. <---dont know about the reciever. ther was no direct connection to it other than from the tv throught the hdmi and into the reciever.

so i then un pluged the hdmi completley....so still the direct tv is pluged in but off and same thing with the tv. I went to plug in the hdmi cable again to the tv ( it is now seperate there is noting connected at the other end and is resting on the wooden floor) and another huge spark and ruined a hdmi port on the tv. 

Y did it do this? does pluging the ac power in and then messing with the hdmi have anyting to do with this.


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## TazinCR (Jun 23, 2008)

Check this it might be related. http://www.diychatroom.com/showthread.php?t=33021


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## theatretch85 (May 17, 2008)

Wow this is like the 3rd incident that has been related to that same thread.... Very Interesting....


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Does each and every piece of equipment including the satellite receiver box have a 3 prong (ground equipped) power cord?

(copied from another forum)
A little too late for you, actually you can still do it: Before running the audio and video cables it is a good idea to take a long bare wire and run it from one piece of equipment to another. Screw it on in a fashion to connect to the chassis of each piece of equipment with the far end of the wire connected to a known ground. Satellite dish receivers and cable boxes should be included.

A spark like what you saw indicates some wiring defect but it is too early to say whether the problem is in your house wiring, inside a piece of equipment, or in the case of cable TV, out in the cable network. Grounding all of the equipment as described above will greatly reduce the chances of damaging circuits such as HDMI ports.


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## rgsgww (Jul 5, 2008)

Depending on your electrical experience, I would have an electrician check that wiring out. Theres a fault somewhere...


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## cwcox2 (Dec 15, 2008)

ok, that makes me feel a little better about it, that it is not my fault. So does it matter that the tv was plugged into and then i tried to connect the hdmi? or did i need to connect the hdmi first then the ac power? Im just worried then if it would have blown out the whole hdmi outlet if i connected th ac last.


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## cwcox2 (Dec 15, 2008)

alanj


the reciever, ps3, and tv all have 3 prong plugs. I have not got around to checking to see if the outlet i pulged in into has a ground wire connecting to it. 

and i read in my ps3 book, it says warning " make sure that the ps3 is properly grounded using a 3 prong outlet, if not sparks may fly and it could be a fire hazard"

then it says " connect the ac power last after making all the tv connections" 

i did not do that i connected the ac first, figuring it did not matter.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

You can still burn out the HDMI port or some other part of the electronic circuitry when connecting the AC cord last, if there was a real problem. 

Nothing other than taking measurements with a voltmeter (a form of paranoia) will avert problems with exposed live connections from a defect inside a piece of equipment.

Grounding all of the pieces of equipment to each other and a real ground will prevent almost all damage due to a defect in your home electrical system except where 240 volts was put where only 120 volts should be (e.g. defective neutral).

The chances of problems are reduced if you plug all the equipment into one power strip and only one plug goes into a wall receptacle. How practical this is of course depends on the power draw of all the equipment (most halves of duplex receptacles are limited to 15 amps each).


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

Common sense tells you to plug in (power) the equipment last. I guess I don't have any, as I too have been plugging in video and HDMI cables on my new TV with the power on. I just wish I knew why I still have to use a video cable between my satelite receiver and DVD player when I have HDMI cables connected to both.


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## rgsgww (Jul 5, 2008)

Its probably better to plug in things when the tv ac is plugged in, if you didn't, you would have never have found out this problem.


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## Stillwerkin (Nov 24, 2008)

Whenever you see a spark when making an electrical connection, it means there is current flowing, even when "off".

Back in high school, I once watched some friends try to and start a car with a short. When the battery cable was connected, there was a huge spark. 
One friend had the bright idea to just leave it clamped on, and just fix the burned up wire later. 
Needless to say, in a couple of minutes the dash was in flames and we were running for a fire extinquisher.:whistling2:

Some devices draw a heck of a lot of power just being plugged in. There was a recent artical showing the Playstation3 drew something like 20 or 30 or 40 times the amount of power as a Wii. 


Just to be on the safe side, I'd recommend going through the house electrical system and making sure your dishwasher/microwave/etc.. are all on seperate breakers. You can by an inexpensive inductive ampmeter and hook it around the wire in the basement to see how many amps are flowing under load and if the wire is rated for that.
Don't run computers on the same leg as bathroom hair dryers, kitchen blenders, etc...
Also, make sure the 14gauge wires going into the fusebox aren't on a 20amp breaker-things of that nature. I'm no electrician, but sure learned a bit with a new house purchase.

In the meantime I'd be calling the store and checking for recalls.....


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## cwcox2 (Dec 15, 2008)

thanks to everyone....i called multiple places and they said that i shoud be fine having interchanging the hdmi cable while it is still plugged in.... which mean there is something more serious in the house or in the tv. The main thing i was trying to figure out was if i messed everything up by simply leaving the tv plugged in, which in this case i did nothing wrong. If i unplugged it and pluged in the hdmi and then repluged it in it prob would have blown anyway. 

Does this sound completely wrong?


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

cwcox2 said:


> HUGE SPARK


One type of huge spark is due to inductance in the circuit and occurs when you open the circuit. Voltage is very high, current is at reasonable levels.

The other kind happens when you close the circuit and little balls of liquid metal get sprayed around. Voltage is at a reasonable value, current and instantaneous power levels are very high.


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## rgsgww (Jul 5, 2008)

cwcox2 said:


> thanks to everyone....i called multiple places and they said that i shoud be fine having interchanging the hdmi cable while it is still plugged in.... which mean there is something more serious in the house or in the tv. The main thing i was trying to figure out was if i messed everything up by simply leaving the tv plugged in, which in this case i did nothing wrong. If i unplugged it and pluged in the hdmi and then repluged it in it prob would have blown anyway.
> 
> Does this sound completely wrong?



You didn't do anything, the problem was there since whoever wired it wrong. The problem is most likely in the house.


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## Stillwerkin (Nov 24, 2008)

Here is the PS3 usage chart. I was way off on the comparision #'s, but the power use seems signifigant.


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## Yoyizit (Jul 11, 2008)

*Good practice*

Before you connect one thing to any other thing, put an incand. lamp from one to the other. If the lamp lights, significant current will flow if you make the connection. 

If you can run a hair dryer this way, don't make the connection at all.

There is also a shock danger with this problem.


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

There's a pole testing tool that is available at most hardware stores and building centers.
It has two parallel blades and a U ground plug! Neon lamps indicate if the correct conditions are present on the outlet!
They are not expensive. In fact, the one that I have was given to me as a promotion item at Home Depot!
I would suggest that one of these testers be used ASAP, as the situation is potentially dangerous!


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

J. V. said:


> I just wish I knew why I still have to use a video cable between my satelite receiver and DVD player when I have HDMI cables connected to both.


(I used the term "video cable" loosely to refer to any cable that carries video information; including HDMI cables. Assuming everything works without one, you don't need a yellow ended old style cable. There is a slight possibility that analog channels, if any, will have a better picture when a yellow plug cable is run from the satellite receiver to the TV and that video input is selected with your TV remote.)


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