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I've asked this on a couple of forums, and I thought I would ask here too. Attached is a pic of my current grounding (conditioner has been up
and running in 60/60v for almost 2 years). Is there a more optimum way my grounding should be wired?Thanks,
Follow Ups:
I just bought a Hubbell 4-plex and was planning on adding some caps to do some line filtering, and have always wondered about this "balanced power" thing. Any help in this regard is appreciated!
Well don't use my diagram as a reference, I'm not even sure if I marked the brown and black wires properly on it.
For example if the "Case Ground" connection is terminated at a metal case (shielding) on this "Line Filter" black box and that metal case isn't tied electricaly to the AC return, then OK sweet no problem you are all good. BUT... If it is tied to the AC return and the earth ground like your drawing implies then it seems there is the potential for a ground loop and the problems that go with them.Of course I've made a couple of assumptions here which will usually be true since these important details werent provided but please be sure and correct me on these if they are wrong. First assumption: "Case Ground" gets tied to earth ground wire on the "Power Cord". SEcond assumption: "Power Cord" is a three wire cord which has third prong not lifted. Third assumption: The house wiring is up to recent code standards, ie 3rd prong ties at box to AC return and to earth at the panel.
The case ground is a metal screw attached to my oneac case. The line filter has a grounding wire which goes to the case ground. Your 3 assumptions are correct. In this case, should I be wiring the ground differently?
You might try removing that wire once to see how it affects the noise floor. I like to compare with the volume up high and no music playing the before and after affect of these types of changes.
The wire I'm talking about removing for test purposes in my above post is the one between "Line Filter" and "Case Ground". In case that wasn't obvious.
............is how all the balanced power units I have seen are wired and I own 3 different balanced power units.It might be worth your while to attach a Ferrite clamp around the GND wire in the Balnced power unit to suppress RFI noise.
Cheers,
Where would you recommend putting the ferrite on ground?One the ground as close as possible to the wall outlet (on the wall outlet side of the transformer)? or on the equipment side of the transformer (as close as possible to the equipment)?
"Where would you recommend putting the ferrite on ground?"I put the Ferrite clamp midway along the GND wire that exits the transformer. I also securley attach the Ferrite clamp to the chassis with 3M Window Weld.
All the earth GND wires are attached to one point in the chassis in Balanced power units and I have found that placing the clamp as described seems to be most effective.
Cheers,
On Kenster's suggestion I tried a small 1cm long snap-on ferrite on the ground wire coming into my balanced power transformer. My digital stuff (DAC, transport, DVD player) is all plugged into it, whilst my amps are plugged directly into the wall.I wasnt expecting anything immediately noticeable, maybe just a cumulatively better result along with the balanced power. But the sound was immediately different! A more dry sound, better upper midrange presence, tighter bass.
Since I had been inter-state for a few days I thought that I had forgotten what the system sounded like and gave it a couple of days. Still seemed very different, so I took it off. The sound went back to how I remembered it previously. I put it back on and added another ferrite next to it, again very different sound but had the same effect as the single ferrite just more of it. But a bit haggard in lower treble, too dry. I tried a single longer ferrite, which was better than two. Then I went back to the original short ferrite - less seemed to be better. Then again with no ferrite - so much warmer and liquid, but maybe too much so, like it does need 'drying' up a tad but not as much as the small ferrite provides.
So I am on the hunt for an even smaller ferrite to try.
I dont have any idea why this has such a dramatic effect (I even blind tested on my partner, who could also pick the differences within seconds). I theorize that it stops RFI into my DAC (which uses the ground), or maybe stops RFI from all the front ends from getting back out to my class D amps (CI Audio D-200), but really Im clutching at straws here as I cant believe that just RFI is creating these dramatic changes.If anyone else feels experimental about ferrites on the ground wire, please try it out as Im shocked at how dramatic the results are. Im also aware that trying a smaller ferrite might still not end up as good as no ferrite at all, but it has been an eye, sorry ear, opening experience and worthy of further investigation.
......I know U wanted somebody else to comment on your findings but these are the small things that make a cumulative difference when all summed together.
It's called "synergy" and finding it in ones system can be an elusive animal.Cheers,
~kenster
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