DIY Active Ground Box


I recently received a custom cable that has three loop-ground spades that are linked to the cable's shield. The cable was originally designed for phonograph use, but my customized version is being used in a digital to analog function. The manufacturer left the loop-spades in. The manufacturer said I could just use electric tape to "cap them off."   The ground cables are not 100% necessary in this application. However, they are an exposed conductor. I know that I can enhance their performance by treating them as a floating shield by using an active ground.

I was thinking it would be cheaper and more practical to make my own. Does anyone have experience doing this? If so, can you share your design ideas?

The concept I have seen and want to build on, is making a wooden box that is coated internally with copper plates. Then use an IEC C14 socket to attach the ground lead to the copper plates via a solid copper cable.  Then create a simple plug using a NEMA 1-15 connector where only the ground lead is connected.

Then insert banana plug sockets that also attach to the copper plates via a copper cable. Then connect the spades to the banana plug outlets.

Once this contraption is plugged into the wall socket, it should effectively attach to the house's ground.

Thoughts?

128x128guakus

Showing 6 responses by lowrider57

I don't see the point of grounding one component to the copper filled box. The concept of the grounding boxes on the market is to create a common ground for all the components. All are wired to the box which creates a star-ground; they will have the same ground potential. This box is then plugged into the mains.

@guakus Something I’m not clear on, ground wires on one end, what will be the termination on the source end of this cable?

Wouldn’t the ground wires attach to the grounding box and then go to the Shunyata?

 

I filled the box with a mixture of tree charcoal, Hawaiian charcoal salt, rock salt, copper filings, and some local dirt.

@guakus ,  how did you decide on what to fill the box with? And what grounding properties do these materials have? In another thread, the box was filled with crystals, among other things.