On Sat, 18 May 2002 15:44:21 GMT, "gary" wrote:

>As for the phase thing, all these plugs have large/small
>posts to insure proper phase. And the TV's have been plugged into various
>outlets with the same results.

Likely the electrician would have checked for proper
outlet hot/common connections when he checked for
grounds, but it is quite easy for the outlets to
have reversed hot-common connections. I found it
useful to buy a $5-7 checker at a hardware store
and check my outlets myself - I found that several
were mis-wired... Since you mentioned that the
problem is worse in dry weather, as I recall, it
could also be that the exterior electrical ground
is not sufficient due to the local soil
conditions...(?).