Forum Discussion
Intermittent no system light on HT1100 modem
I've got green check marks all the way across top to bottom for 48 hours in the diagnostics. I don't think it is anything I did but appears to be fixed.
Gabe,
Tell you the truth, i don't know anything about electricity and I assume a lot that is not correct. So, having said that, I misspoke about the 240 outlet.
The laundry room has 2 standard outlets. One for a washer and the other for a dryer, at least that is what I assumed. The Hughesnet modem on the extension cord is plugged into the washer outlet. I'm sure of that much. According to Lowes website, a mid-size washer is 120 volts. No mention of amps. That outlet is protected by a 20 amp breaker.
The other outlet I assumed was for a dryer but now I'm not so sure. The breaker labeled Dryer is on a tandem breaker. In other words, two(2) 40 amp breakers tied together by a little plastic thing. That beaker is off since I don't have a dryer or washer for that matter. I just plugged my electric drill into what I thought was the dryer outlet and it worked. So, where is the outlet for the dryer? I have no clue. I bought this place 7 years ago and that is the first time I thought to check it.
I do have a question. When I was on Lowes website and looked at a mid-size dryer, listed in the specs was this VOLTS: 120/240. What the heck does that mean? Does it mean it will work on both? Guess I can call Lowes and ask them.
duke_mabank wrote:So, where is the outlet for the dryer? I have no clue. I bought this place 7 years ago and that is the first time I thought to check it.
The 240V outlet for the dryer will be considerably different looking than a normal outlet, with the "blade slots" usually a little thicker, wider, and turned different ways than those of a standard outlet.
What you explained in your successive post makes a lot more sense. I was scratching my head a little with thinking about 240V through a standard outlet, but I've actually seen odder things, so I figured it was entirely possibe. I shouldn't have made that assumption.
I hope everything is still working well for you.
Well, I am no electrician and I may have trouble tracking someone down in here that would be able to give me an answer but I will tell you a short story of a customer I had in the past...
They had a similar set up as you, except the modem was sharing an outlet with their fridge. When the fridge would turn on to cool, the modem would lose power. Keep in mind that the radio transmitter on your dish is being supported through the modem's power source too. Other setups like power strips or surge protectors may create low power situations that impacts performance (slow speeds, intermittent connection).
Good example of why it's always good to have things like compressors and heaters on their own service to the breaker box. The load when it kicks in probably dropped the line voltage below the threshhold that the modem's power supply required. Kind of like when your lights dim slightly when the air conditioner cycles on a hot day.
