View Full Version : My house has its own transformer...enough?
Just thinking that with independent transformer my power should be clean and my media room has independent breaker box copper rod for the ground etc....is that enough???? or still recommended to get the line conditiners etc..??
TONEPUB
01-04-2007, 10:50 PM
The transformer wont filter out all the other grunge on the grid. I'd suggest trying one that you can return if you find it doesn't do any good for you just in case!
Just thinking that with independent transformer my power should be clean and my media room has independent breaker box copper rod for the ground etc....is that enough???? or still recommended to get the line conditiners etc..??
By transformer, you mean the transformer outside of your home that takes the feed from the elecric company and feeds to your house? You're not likely to get that replaced.
You do have a TVSS installed at your media room breaker box, right?
By transformer, you mean the transformer outside of your home that takes the feed from the elecric company and feeds to your house? You're not likely to get that replaced.
You do have a TVSS installed at your media room breaker box, right?Whats that? I do have a monster cable protection where cables and most electrical stuff is plugged in before plugging that to the wall..yes a transformer for my house only on top of a telephone pole. So I should have very clean power compared to everywhere else where many houses or even neighborhoods are connected...
The transformer wont filter out all the other grunge on the grid. I'd suggest trying one that you can return if you find it doesn't do any good for you just in case! thanks for posting..but can't return that monster or even get close to it !
TONEPUB
01-07-2007, 10:31 PM
sorry, I meant the power conditioner that you try!
Whats that? I do have a monster cable protection where cables and most electrical stuff is plugged in before plugging that to the wall..yes a transformer for my house only on top of a telephone pole. So I should have very clean power compared to everywhere else where many houses or even neighborhoods are connected...
I don't see any value in replacing the transformer outside of your house. Unless it wasn't big enough and you were running out of power.
However, a TVSS would be a must-have item in your situation.
http://www.dehn-usa.com/promotion/tvss.asp
stereoptic
01-08-2007, 07:39 AM
Your electric company will most likely not replace that transformer unless your load is causing it to trip, or if it is leaking oil, or if it is buzzing. You should give them a call and see what alternatives they offer for power quality.
-=Rudy=-
01-10-2007, 02:12 PM
My neighbor was successful in getting a neighborhood transformer replaced. Interesting method--he was digging in the backyard, hit the underground power line to his house, shorted it out, and killed power all over his side of the street. Further down, the transformer lit up and burnt out.
Do NOT try this at home. :D
The real irony: he works for Philips. :laugh: The problem, though, was that the cable was not buried properly, where the utility company had marked it. So it's only partially his fault... ;)
Just thinking that with independent transformer my power should be clean and my media room has independent breaker box copper rod for the ground etc....is that enough???? or still recommended to get the line conditiners etc..??
Probably not the best idea to use multiple ground rods. First nearby lightning strike will likely toast some equipment. I think the proper way to wire Iso Ground (orange) outlets is for the third-wire-ground to bypass the star point at the main breaker panel an go directly to the SAME ground rod as the breaker panel. Normal outlets are grounded to the star point, iso-ground outlets go directly to the SAME ground rod, bypassing the star point. There must only be a SINGLE star point in your house, it is normally the main breaker panel. If your entertainment system is on a sub-panel, the grounds and neutrals cannot be interconnected in the sub-panel; ground and neutral must remain separate all the way back to the star point. Individual iso-ground outlets should be separate all the way back to the common ground rod.
The reasoning behind this is that the star point is slightly elevated above the ground reference, the ground rod, because of the leakage current that flows from the star point through the resistance of the ground wire. Using an independant wire the whole way to the rod eliminates the small drop across the ground wire from the star. The reason to use the SAME ground is that, during a lightning strike, rods that are not bonded together will be raised to different voltages as they dissipate the current from the strike. If the iso-ground is not connected to the same rod as the neutral, a lightning strike can build up a lot of voltage between the neutral and the ground. So, you say, that's what surge supressors are for. I say, the surge suppressor's job is hard enough. Why make it harder with improper grounding?
You can safely use multiple ground rods only if they are bonded together into a common grounding system. Not only should all power wiring use the same ground, phone and cable should also be connected to the same ground as the power. If you have a TV antenna or satellite dish, it may be connected to a remote ground near the antenna if the antenna is located a distance from the house, but the cable from it should also go through grounding blocks so that it is bonded to the main house ground.
If you experience hum in your audio or video from the grounding, you should use an isolation transformer. By far the most common source of hum comes when the TV cable is connected to your equipment; this can be cured by an RF isolation transformer, or even by small value isolation capacitors.
http://www.jensen-transformers.com/datashts/vrd1ff.pdf Jensen transformers are highly regarded; they also make fine audio isolation transformers. If you instead elect to run the power through an isolation transformer, get a low-leakage medical isolation transformer rated for patient connection.
http://www.toroid.com/standard_transformers/isolation_transformers/medical_grade_isolation.htm I had a couple medical isolation transformers that I picked up surplus when I used to do PA for live bands; they were my ace-in-the-hole to fix humming direct feeds from guitar and bass amps...
leopoldstotch
01-10-2007, 07:47 PM
My neighbor was successful in getting a neighborhood transformer replaced. Interesting method--he was digging in the backyard, hit the underground power line to his house, shorted it out, and killed power all over his side of the street. Further down, the transformer lit up and burnt out.
Do NOT try this at home. :D
The real irony: he works for Philips. :laugh: The problem, though, was that the cable was not buried properly, where the utility company had marked it. So it's only partially his fault... ;)
He's lucky he didn't get killed!
Probably not the best idea to use multiple ground rods. First nearby lightning strike will likely toast some equipment. I think the proper way to wire Iso Ground (orange) outlets is for the third-wire-ground to bypass the star point at the main breaker panel an go directly to the SAME ground rod as the breaker panel. Normal outlets are grounded to the star point, iso-ground outlets go directly to the SAME ground rod, bypassing the star point. There must only be a SINGLE star point in your house, it is normally the main breaker panel. If your entertainment system is on a sub-panel, the grounds and neutrals cannot be interconnected in the sub-panel; ground and neutral must remain separate all the way back to the star point. Individual iso-ground outlets should be separate all the way back to the common ground rod.
The reasoning behind this is that the star point is slightly elevated above the ground reference, the ground rod, because of the leakage current that flows from the star point through the resistance of the ground wire. Using an independant wire the whole way to the rod eliminates the small drop across the ground wire from the star. The reason to use the SAME ground is that, during a lightning strike, rods that are not bonded together will be raised to different voltages as they dissipate the current from the strike. If the iso-ground is not connected to the same rod as the neutral, a lightning strike can build up a lot of voltage between the neutral and the ground. So, you say, that's what surge supressors are for. I say, the surge suppressor's job is hard enough. Why make it harder with improper grounding?
You can safely use multiple ground rods only if they are bonded together into a common grounding system. Not only should all power wiring use the same ground, phone and cable should also be connected to the same ground as the power. If you have a TV antenna or satellite dish, it may be connected to a remote ground near the antenna if the antenna is located a distance from the house, but the cable from it should also go through grounding blocks so that it is bonded to the main house ground.
If you experience hum in your audio or video from the grounding, you should use an isolation transformer. By far the most common source of hum comes when the TV cable is connected to your equipment; this can be cured by an RF isolation transformer, or even by small value isolation capacitors.
http://www.jensen-transformers.com/datashts/vrd1ff.pdf Jensen transformers are highly regarded; they also make fine audio isolation transformers. If you instead elect to run the power through an isolation transformer, get a low-leakage medical isolation transformer rated for patient connection.
http://www.toroid.com/standard_transformers/isolation_transformers/medical_grade_isolation.htm I had a couple medical isolation transformers that I picked up surplus when I used to do PA for live bands; they were my ace-in-the-hole to fix humming direct feeds from guitar and bass amps... Thanks for that post and sorry for my late reply! I do not have multiple grounds..copper rod etc..thats the ONLY one!! The rest of this house is 2 prong no ground just "floating" via the neutral at the breaker box.. Just my media room is grounded like I stated before with minimum monster surge,conditioner. I asked the question but was kind of a statement as well in my belief that I am pretty much isolated with transformer to my house only compared to most people that may need the extra line conditioning because of so much connected in large cities situations etc...BTW..never ever any hum or noise and I can turn the volume FULL UP and happy to say 0 zero hum and or hiss ....My Proceed amp has to do with that also imo. Thanks again all for posting.
LesPaul666
07-08-2007, 05:52 PM
Thanks for that post and sorry for my late reply! I do not have multiple grounds..copper rod etc..thats the ONLY one!! The rest of this house is 2 prong no ground just "floating" via the neutral at the breaker box.. Just my media room is grounded like I stated before with minimum monster surge,conditioner. I asked the question but was kind of a statement as well in my belief that I am pretty much isolated with transformer to my house only compared to most people that may need the extra line conditioning because of so much connected in large cities situations etc...BTW..never ever any hum or noise and I can turn the volume FULL UP and happy to say 0 zero hum and or hiss ....My Proceed amp has to do with that also imo. Thanks again all for posting.
Time for a new service, wiring, outlets, and a star ground
:agree:
thegage
07-08-2007, 07:43 PM
I asked the question but was kind of a statement as well in my belief that I am pretty much isolated with transformer to my house only compared to most people that may need the extra line conditioning because of so much connected in large cities situations etc...BTW..never ever any hum or noise and I can turn the volume FULL UP and happy to say 0 zero hum and or hiss ....My Proceed amp has to do with that also imo. Thanks again all for posting.
You may think you have clean power because of your situation, but then again you may not.
I live out in the country, with the nearest house a half mile away. Crappy cell phone reception, almost no OTA TV reception. My transformer is about 50 yards from the house, while the line feeding it is buried for the 1/3-mile run from the power pole at the start of my driveway. All of this is by way of example that I theoretically have relatively little RFI contamination compared to somone in a city; should there be less grunge on the line, too?
Still, when I recently installed a PS Audio Power Plant Premier to feed my system the reduction in the system noise floor was dramatic and obvious. One example: with the BPT balanced power conditioner that the PPP replaced, you could easily hear some hiss and slight hum from my tube preamp. With the PPP that is gone; dead quiet to full lock.
John K.
You may think you have clean power because of your situation, but then again you may not.
I live out in the country, with the nearest house a half mile away. Crappy cell phone reception, almost no OTA TV reception. My transformer is about 50 yards from the house, while the line feeding it is buried for the 1/3-mile run from the power pole at the start of my driveway. All of this is by way of example that I theoretically have relatively little RFI contamination compared to somone in a city; should there be less grunge on the line, too?
Still, when I recently installed a PS Audio Power Plant Premier to feed my system the reduction in the system noise floor was dramatic and obvious. One example: with the BPT balanced power conditioner that the PPP replaced, you could easily hear some hiss and slight hum from my tube preamp. With the PPP that is gone; dead quiet to full lock.
John K. Thanks ..must say
I have been curious about PS Audio. The only thing that threw me when my audio salesman pitched it to me was the thing about getting better if you connect one to another and to another etc... thinking about it drives me a little nuts! :laugh:
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