Ground Loop question

Shark Diver

Shark Diver

New member
Posted this in the Rig-Talk, but no replies.

I am confused. There are a couple of products on the market that keep rack gear from making contact with rack rails to help with grounding issues. But then I heard that you should sand the finish off the rails and even the back of the rack piece for a proper ground. What gives?
 
Shark Diver":1f0z3tfx said:
Posted this in the Rig-Talk, but no replies.

I am confused. There are a couple of products on the market that keep rack gear from making contact with rack rails to help with grounding issues. But then I heard that you should sand the finish off the rails and even the back of the rack piece for a proper ground. What gives?
Click to expand...

Gear should go to ground through the electrical system, not the rack! I don't do any sanding or use the plastic washers behind the rack ears.

What I find has the best results is for all amps and rack gear plugged into one power supply in the rack and the power supply plugged into one outlet. Do that, and there should be no nasty ground loops.

Steve
 
steve_k":3xx99fv7 said:
Shark Diver":3xx99fv7 said:
Posted this in the Rig-Talk, but no replies.

I am confused. There are a couple of products on the market that keep rack gear from making contact with rack rails to help with grounding issues. But then I heard that you should sand the finish off the rails and even the back of the rack piece for a proper ground. What gives?
Click to expand...

Gear should go to ground through the electrical system, not the rack! I don't do any sanding or use the plastic washers behind the rack ears.

What I find has the best results is for all amps and rack gear plugged into one power supply in the rack and the power supply plugged into one outlet. Do that, and there should be no nasty ground loops.

Steve
Click to expand...

This is how I run currently. One regulator, one conditioner plugged into that, gear plugged into conditioner. No issues as you said.

Putting a pretty big rack together now, at least 2 amps, and 1 preamp. Maybe 4 amps. So, gathering info. And I agree with what you say, which would beg the question why the washers and sanding by the big boys? Very confused by this. :confused:
 
I have a Monster 3500 with 3 pre amps mod50 rmod100 2 rt2/50's and a bunch of rack and pedal effects with out an hum.
 
Well no offense to anyone but any time you put 2 amps together with ac and input cables let say out of a switcher or a/b box you will have hum. The way I do it is to grind all rails and rack ears and screw everything down tight. Then I break ground loops with isolation transformers. There are many things involved and it take years of experience to know the best way to deal with the problems as they present themselves. There are all kinds of exceptions to rules that you find a long the way. So pm me if you need details. Dave
 
Should of kept my Axe Fx... :LOL: :LOL:

Pm'd you Dave. Looking at minimum 2 amps - SLO 100r and the Wizard MC100r, (maybe an Elmwood 90 or PT 100r that John is talking to me about as well), and a modded Fish. Rack Wah, Decimator, Surf Box, TC2290, and if I go W/D/W a fx amp. Maybe an Eclipse for pitch shift, but I don't use that a lot so not sure. Just trying to gather all the info before spending $$$ on something I may not need.
 
what do you recommend for isolation transformers to break ground loops? any particular maker models?
 
I run 3 heads through my Little Labs PCP Distro. Everything is transformer isolated, ground lifted if needed, phased and impedance adjustable. Pricey, but an absolutely awesome piece of kit from Jonathon Little for live or DI in the studio.

Steve

http://www.littlelabs.com/pcp.html
 
Steve, Dave,

Thanks for the input. Sorry for somewhat derailing the main point of the topic.

Boof
 
RACKSYSTEMS":2xfpibd6 said:
Well I make them custom but a lot of the time you can use a ebtech hum eliminator . They are not shielded though so you have to be careful where you put them.
Click to expand...

I have the MW1 splitting my signal into (2) rm100s- I just bought the ebtech to solve the hum issue- is this appropriate, or is this a spot ot be "careful"? I don't want a surge to kill me!
 
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