Electrical Question

[fireproof]

I am trying to gather information to help design an electrical system for a studio.
My concept is to put all audio gear on a star ground system to tie the grounds together.
Any advice would be great!
Thanks!

Adam Lasus

[Marc Alan Goodman]

Hey Adam!! How's California treating you?

Star grounding's a great idea :) What else are you trying to figure out?

[fireproof]

Thanks Mark!
Lots of stuff! I will email you!
How is your construction going!?

Adam

[The Scum]

A simple version: You might find some good info in you google for "isolated ground outlet" or "isolated ground receptacle."

Trying it myself, here's an article from Bill Whitlock:
http://www.prosoundweb.com/article/prin ... _is_needed

In fact, it links through to a 60 page paper on the subject.


A practical version: true star grounding across everything in the studio can be very hard to achieve, because ground pops up all over the place, and it's very easy to make loops. Most equipment has a grounded chassis, which in turn grounds the rack it's in...making a loop through the rails before you've even hooked up the audio cabling. Add in the audio cabling, and you've got a whole 'nother set of potential loops.

[goose134]

Agreed^^^^.
Tying the equipment together provides some benefits, but it also makes an isolated problem become systemic. Isolated grounding has its uses, but with non metallic raceway being the norm, it really doesn't provide a tangible benefit it most cases.

If this is a professional, stand alone studio, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Take you grounding electrode conductor off the water main and get it on a chemical grounding rod. Circulating currents from the neighbors who share the same transformer will become your noise. It can't be helped, it simply is a byproduct of the system design. By removing yourself from the common bond, you'll free yourself from any noise your neighbors may be generating.

Just my two cents.

Here is a PDF if you want to read more about chemical grounds. While they say they are maintenance free, it's not really true. You do have to add salts from time to time. Low maintenance is what they should say.
http://www.equitech.com/faq/chemrod.pdf

[fireproof]

Thanks for the info and input!!

Adam

[radiationroom]

A question about chemical grounds verses standard grounds:

The Erico chemical ground rod kits start at about $700.00-USD. Are there less expensive options available?

If bentonite fill is used around a standard ground rod, would that provide any/some of the benefits of a complete chemical ground kit?

Thanks again!

[goose134]

I suppose the fill would help, but the advantage of the chemical ground is that there is an access door to refill the benitone. But you could make your own if you CAD weld an appropriate conductor on a copper pipe and constructed some sort of access to refill the tube. You wouldn't have a UL listing, but I think it would probably work.

As I've said, what is nice about these is that it is your primary electrode. So you have a system that is isolated from the inevitable circulating currents on the ground from neighboring structures.

[radiationroom]

But you could make your own if you CAD weld an appropriate conductor on a copper pipe

You mean I have a legitimate excuse to play with copper thermite?

[goose134]

There is always something you can come up with. Like these guys:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOPOaeooTXw

[radiationroom]

There is always something you can come up with. Like these guys:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOPOaeooTXw

Braniacs is fun stuff!

Better yet, here is footage of The Myth Busters cutting an SUV in half using Thermite. Worth your time watching!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPAYZMzGMwQ