Looper's Delight Archive Top (Search)
Date Index
Thread Index
Author Index
Looper's Delight Home
Mailing List Info
[Date Prev][Date Next]   [Thread Prev][Thread Next]   [Date Index][Thread Index][Author Index]

Re: Tube amp HUMMMMMMM...Ground?


     Mark,

     The electrical codes vary from county to county around this country, 
though you can get a
rough idea from looking at the codes.  I've worked as an electrician 
setting up grounds for the
mains in several different states.  Usually there is some sort of 
grounding rod that you pound
into the earth outside your house.  This is from 18" to 4' long.  And some 
places require that you
place this grounding rod a few feet away from that house so that the eaves 
of the house don't keep
the soil too dry.  Then a #10 or #8 gauge stranded wire is strapped to 
that with a clamp and it
runs straight to the breaker box.  Some codes allow for ground and neutral 
to be connected right
in the box, others require them to be separate the entire time.

     If your plumbing is all copper and it goes into the earth, this would 
also be a good way to
get "ground" to your gear.  If any part of it is plastic, then you are 
depending on the water to
conduct the ground, not as effective.  It may turn out that the easiest 
way to go would be to run
a grounding wire out the window and down to a grounding rod.  Just make 
sure you don't do this in
an area prone to lightning...

     As far as checking out the nearest cold water pipe in your house, you 
will not risk damage to
your gear, whether or not it works in getting rid of the hum.  Just make 
sure that there is no
possible way for that wire to make contact with either of the other two 
wires.

            Stephen


<<<<I've been told a down and dirty way to set up a ground (I always like 
the Brit's "earth" better) is to take a wire from the ground socket and 
bring it to some form of plumbing, like a sink pipe or toilet.  Is this 
OK?  I'm sure our landlord wouldn't be up for paying an electrician to 
set up a proper ground, so this is something that I'll have to be able 
to do.>>>>


__________________________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop!
http://platinum.yahoo.com