Wolff Posted October 27, 2008 Share Posted October 27, 2008 Here is something I have been concerned about for a long time. Maybe some of you guys have a good answer. The room I have my amps and equipment in only has wall sockets with the 2 slot receptacle. I use an adapter to plug in a power strip(with surge protection) and then I plug my amp and effects power supplies into the power strip. Is this properly grounded so the amp is safe? Would I be any better off running a really long extension cord to the other room where there is a 3-slot plug? Another odd thing I noticed is that when my central AC kicks on, my tube amp(I used to have) sounds like crap. Soon as the AC goes off, it is fine again. Anybody else experience this or have any idea what is going on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeRom Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 You'll be fine, your amp will be fine. The neutral blade on your power cord will aslo act as ground so the amp won't be harmed in anyway. It's when you start touching other metal objects that are plugged in to different circuits that could get you in trouble, so, just don't do that and you'll be fine. Your ac unit must have been putting quite a load on for it to affect your amp like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRV-Zeppelin Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 There's actually another thread about grounding in the LP forum... something or other to do with how it can make your LP hum... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolff Posted October 28, 2008 Author Share Posted October 28, 2008 OK, thanks guys. Yeah, I saw that other thread but this is somewhat of a different situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Why don't you get rid of those old two prong wall sockets and get some proper 3 prong grounded sockets? It's easy to do, I did it in my mothers house in Medford... Just turn off the circuit breaker or unscrew the fuse as was the case at my mother's house, yank out the old two pronger. When you install the three prong socket just attach a ground wire from the socket to the metal casing that holds the socket in place. There you have it, your grounded... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolff Posted October 28, 2008 Author Share Posted October 28, 2008 Why don't you get rid of those old two prong wall sockets and get some proper 3 prong grounded sockets? It's easy to do' date=' I did it in my mothers house in Medford... Just turn off the circuit breaker or unscrew the fuse as was the case at my mother's house, yank out the old two pronger. When you install the three prong socket just attach a ground wire from the socket to the metal casing that holds the socket in place. There you have it, your grounded...[/quote'] You are right of course, I really need to do that. In case you guys don't hear back from me again - blame(or thank) Dave. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 daveinspain and Wolff - read the following carefully. daveinspain said: "When you install the three prong socket just attach a ground wire from the socket to the metal casing that holds the socket in place. There you have it, your grounded..." Baaaaad mistake. To be grounded properly the ground pin has to be connected using suitable cable with sufficient current carrying capacity to either an earthing-plate sunk into the ground outside the property or to a substantial mains-water inlet pipe (regulations and requirements vary with area and authority etc). daveinspain's method could expose you to significant risk of shock. When in doubt - consult a qualified and approved electrician. Please - 'cause we don't want to lose you guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolff Posted October 28, 2008 Author Share Posted October 28, 2008 D'OH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Actually you will probably be fine, the once common ground problem that caused so much pain and twitching in the seventies seems to have been eradicated these days. You may just have the odd tingle if your lips touch the mic while your hands are on the guitar strings. Us old farts just remember the bad old days, and we would hate to see you punks go like: Leslie Harvey of Stone The Crows Electrocuted 3 May 1972 John Rostill of The Shadows Electrocuted 26 November 1973 Keith Relf of The Yardbirds Electrocuted 14 May 1976 Still - at least they died playing - better than OD'ing or Kidney failure..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 daveinspain and Wolff - read the following carefully. daveinspain said: "When you install the three prong socket just attach a ground wire from the socket to the metal casing that holds the socket in place. There you have it' date=' your grounded...[/color']" Baaaaad mistake. To be grounded properly the ground pin has to be connected using suitable cable with sufficient current carrying capacity to either an earthing-plate sunk into the ground outside the property or to a substantial mains-water inlet pipe (regulations and requirements vary with area and authority etc). daveinspain's method could expose you to significant risk of shock. When in doubt - consult a qualified and approved electrician. Please - 'cause we don't want to lose you guys. When I made the switch to three prong plugs at my mothers house the socket housings were earth ground and I used the same thick gauged wire from the ground pin of the socket to the metal casing.... Is that ok??? I don't want to burn down my mothers house down or kill anyone.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Either I am mis-reading you or you are mis-reading me. Just because the socket housing is marked 'earth ground' and you connect the ground pin of the socket to the housing, it does NOT mean they are safely earthed. There MUST be a connection from the grounding-plate buried deep in the ground outside (or the mains water piping if local regs allow it) to the earth you rely on in the socket. I hate to say this but - if you are in any doubt (which it sounds like you might be) then seek advice (at least) if not actual help from a qualified and approved electrician. Like I said before - I'd hate to see you or yours shocked. You ain't likely to burn the house down, but you might get an unpleasant jolt, which will check a weak heart on a bad day. Better SAFE than SORRY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 So how would someone get a shock? By plugging something in the socket? Bare feet while plugging something in? The Sockets are already installed and I didn't have any problem doing the installation... The guy who lives in front of my mother's house is an electrician, I guess I'll tell him what and how I did it and see if he will have a look to see if its ok.... Thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 The shock usually comes when a piece of kit has a fault (wire chafed through the insulator internally, nut holding wire to ground-post inside works loose, dry-solder on an internal earth) though sometimes another muso will have disconnected an earth to stop a ground-loop hum in another situation, and forgotten to re-connect. Then you touch the earth of one piece of equipment (like your guitar strings/lead/amp) whilst reaching for another (like the mixing desk, recorder, passing the bass player his bass, turning the fire on 'cause it's cold, your electric bong.....). 99.9% of the time = no problemo. But that odd occasion can kick like a mule. Unless the earth takes it instead of you because it has been correctly wired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRV-Zeppelin Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 This discussion is way too intense for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermionik Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 . . Yeah - me too, fuggit, let the punks fry their sorry asses..... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 .. Yeah - me too' date=' fuggit, let the punks fry their sorry asses..... . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.