[sjniedz]

Twice in the last two days I had something odd happen. When I touched the unit I got an electrical shock and when I did ALL the lights on the HR-20 immediately went out. The only way to get the lights back on was to reset it. Anyone else have this happen and second, how can that possibly be good?

 

[Tom Robertson]

Alas, my laptop did the same thing until the manufacturer did a silent recall to install a better ground loop.

Sjniedz, one thing you might check is the polarization of the AC cord. If somehow the plug was inserted reversed into an outlet (some extension cords and power strips don't enforce the polarization), the grounding mechanism won't work as designed.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[btmoore]

Twice in the last two days I had something odd happen. When I touched the unit I got an electrical shock and when I did ALL the lights on the HR-20 immediately went out. The only way to get the lights back on was to reset it. Anyone else have this happen and second, how can that possibly be good?

Assuming you are not talking about a static shock, there is nothing good about it. IMO you should unplug it for safety, call D* and request a replacement.

 

[hasan]

Twice in the last two days I had something odd happen. When I touched the unit I got an electrical shock and when I did ALL the lights on the HR-20 immediately went out. The only way to get the lights back on was to reset it. Anyone else have this happen and second, how can that possibly be good?

Are you talking about a static discharge "shock", like when you rub your feet on the carpet and then touch a metal frame and get a "shock", or are you talking about a true "electrical shock", which is the result of an electical fault in your wiring or equipment?

If, as I suspect, it is nothing more than static discharge, what is happening is the discharge is "freaking out" the HR20...I'd almost expect it to do a reset in response to this problem...but what you are doing is causing the processor in the HR20 to freak, freeze and become unresponsive. You're right, what is happening isn't good for the HR20. I would suggest you learn to touch something else to discharge the static build up before you touch the HR20. (you need to touch metal). I'm betting you have carpets, if so, picking up your feet can help

I'm surprised that the HR20 is so sensitive to static discharge (if that is the case). I don't face the problem. We don't have any carpets in the entire house, it's all ceramic tile and/or wood floors. No static build up here...when we had carpets, I used to get nailed all the time....no more.

If it is not static discharge, you need to get an electrician over to your place as soon as possible, before you kill yourself or get someone else hurt.

 

[sjniedz]

The shock I am talking about IS static discharge. We have hard wood floors but you have to walk over an area rug to get to the TV, hence the static build-up.

I checked the outlet and it is plugged in correctly. I will certainly be more careful when I touch it. I am just concerned there is a defect in the ground looping tibber refered to. I was curious if anyone else had the same issue but it does not look like it. Odd.

 

[Ed Campbell]

Touch something else made of metal just before you touch the HR20. We have no rugs; but, at 7,000 feet -- almost no humidity -- static electricity is part of autumn and winter.

I zapped myself a couple of times -- after we got the HR20 -- and now I just grab my well-grounded receiver before I touch the HR20.