Install A Dedicated AC Line at home

Great article, thanks for posting it! I might have to swap out the aluminum flex conduit for steel EMT, forgot about magnetic shielding, aluminum only does electrical sheilding:(

I will have to read the section on isolation transformers a couple of more times but it looks like I will want to do something along that line as well.

The rest of my work looks good, nice I had not finished the install, easy to change to EMT/

Thanks!

Rick

@ieales

Adding additional ground rods can reduce the efficiency of the Earth which is there primarily for lightning strikes on the power lines.

Not when tied together, and spaced (a good rule of thumb is the length of the rods) equally apart from each other. I admit (most don’t know this), ground rods *are mainly there* for (discharging) lightning strikes. Having been a Radio Broadcast Engineer for over 3 decades, I’ve always dealt with lightning, lightning strikes and lightning damage (oh what fun; but really, what an experience!), with those big lightning rods (towers) sticking straight up into the sky.

I think what confuses many is when they start beefing up their ground rods, they’re most times simultaneously also beefing up (without realizing it) their audio system grounding and bonding infrastructure; hence the perceived and achieved lower noise floors.

Overkill if you understand electricity.

You do realize this hobby is about excess, headroom and overkill, right? 😉

@raam Just to clarify, AC-HCF is considered better than EMT (see the chart on Middle Atlantic's page 13). AC-HCF is considered a 1/2" (depending on gauge of wire) steel-clad MC. 

Optimized Power Distribution and Grounding for Audio, Video and Electronic Systems

Thanks, much appreciated:)

I might be just fine since from panel to each outlet the wires are tightly twisted and separated from all signal cables from 2' up to 7'.

Quad Shield Coax from pedestal to Ethernet switch, looking at upgrades. Only parallel in whole system, 2' from AC lines to outlets then 4ft away at Switch.

CAT6, for now, Ethernet cables, looking into others

Star Quad RCA, tube amp for main speakers, no option for balanced cables.though I have made balanced cables for other systems using it.

As mentioned will make DIY power cords($50 planned, will double if needed but not likely)

I always run good cables but never "audiophile" but well designed and more importantly proper routing distance and methods like 90 degree crossings if needed.

I picked up steel clad flex but the wires were not crossed so returned it, I will take a look at it later today when I go back to the supplier.

------------

 

All hobbies to me are about achieving superb results but at the most moderate costs possible. I have a huge history in many endeavors of doing quite well in that regard, including building race cars. I beat a prior world champion high end mobile audio shop owner in front of his SD Charger starting lineman customers in my 5th SQ audio comp event, all DIY in my back yard:) (Zapco, McIntosh, Dynaudio, DIY cables)

@raam 

All hobbies to me are about achieving superb results but at the most moderate costs possible.

100% with you there (where's that fist up in the air emoji when you need it). Congrats on your sky-reaching endeavors!

@dpop said:

Just to clarify, AC-HCF is considered better than EMT (see the chart on Middle Atlantic’s page 13). AC-HCF is considered a 1/2" (depending on gauge of wire) steel-clad MC.

I’ve posted about this before...

Actually,

The most effective way to reduce GVI is to twist the phase conductors together and pull through a conduit with a straight ground wire.
This may be time consuming and impractical, but for critical situations where millivolts matter, this may be the best solution.

Page 40 of your Web Link.

Ground Voltage Induction (GVI)

Non ("Isolated Ground) 3 wire MC aluminum armored cable is the way to go in my opinion. Easier to install than EMT conduit. Not to mention the time that would be spent twisting the Hot and neutral conductors together. Imagine a long run... With MC Code allows a plastic box can be used for the outlet instead of a steel box. A lot of audiophiles avoid using ferrous steel boxes. Some avoid ferrous steel conduit.

 

MC Aluminum Jacket
(best for non-IG runs)

See chart on page 40.

 

(FWIW, It beats me why anyone would install an IG receptacle in a house. )

 

/ / / /

 

From page 13:

Armor Clad for Healthcare Facilities (AC-HCF)
Aluminum Armor Clad for Healthcare Facilities (AC-HCF) is the best choice for
Isolated Ground A/V systems. Like MC, it contains an additional grounding
conductor, although with this type of cable it is permissible to use the metal jacket
as the safety grounding conductor, as required with isolated ground installations.
The biggest benefit is that the average proximity of the hot conductor and the
neutral conductor with respect to the isolated equipment grounding conductor is
nearly equal, virtually eliminating ground voltage induction (GVI), even on long
runs.
Steel Armor Clad for Healthcare Facilities (AC-HCF)
Similar to aluminum armor clad AC-HCF, but does not address ground voltage induction as effectively as aluminum (see Ground
Voltage Induction section of this paper). Two other problems are that steel clad is not readily available and is cumbersome to transport
and install

 

/ / / / /

 

Side note:

For those that may choose to use conduit. Best practices for a true dedicated branch is a true dedicated circuit does not share a conduit or cable with another branch circuit.

.

(FWIW, It beats me why anyone would install an IG receptacle in a house. )

To scare the bajeezus out of the missus so she doesn't plug in the vac or think 'A lamp would look nice over there'

These links are worth reading before wasting beacoup bux on 'special' wall sockets and silly wire gauges

Transmission Lines 

The Impact of Mains Impedance on Power Quality

The “Conduit Transformer” •

This finally explains what drives 99% of all ground loops! • Load current in line and neutral produces opposing magnetic fields since instantaneous current flow is in opposite directions • Imperfect cancellation magnetically induces voltage over the length of the nearby safety ground conductor • Strongly affected by geometry and proximity of wires • Highest voltages with randomly positioned wires in conduit • Lower voltages with uniform geometry of Romex® • Voltage is directly proportional to load current, wire length, and rate of change in current or ∆I/∆t • Mechanism favors high-frequency harmonics of 60 Hz • For constant current in L and N, induced voltage rises at 6 dB/octave

from An Overview of Audio System Grounding & Interfacing - Indy AES 2012 Seminar p31

 

Forget adding a new line and purchase a high end UPS system. This will do a much better job of protecting your equipment and give you all the power you’ll need.  

@sgreg1

Seriously, is this how you live your life, “beating the libs”? How about maturing just a bit and ending this political vitriol?

@zensview 

Please keep us posted on what you find out.  I also live in the SF Bay Area and will someday run a dedicated audio AC line.  I also plan to run a dedicated ethernet line.  Didn't know that good house grounding for audio was a thing until I read about Fremer's grounding odyssey.  

Didn’t know that good house grounding for audio was a thing until I read about Fremer’s grounding odyssey.

FWIW, Fremer’s existing Earth Grounding was not his problem with the degraded sound he was hearing from his audio system. The problem was the insertion of the new ATS switch into the normal AC power system that feed his audio system equipment.

( New ATS, Automatic Transfer Switch, for his new whole house back up generator power system for his home.)

 

I would imagine a whole new electrical service helped improved the sound from his audio system even more.

The elaborate low earth to rod resistance earth connection, (deep driven into the earth ground rod), does nothing for the sound of his audio system. The electrical service earth connection, grounding electrode, is mainly for lightning protection. The Earth does not possess some magical mystical power that will suck nasty noise from an audio system.

Major Electricity Upgrade From the Roof Down Produced ...

Hey Guys

Another question about installing dedicated 10 gauge wiring for my audio system. Is it necessary to run 10 gauge for all equipment (pre-amps, phono, phono amps, CD player, etc.) or just my mono block amplifiers? 

Thanks.

The total current of everything besides the amplifiers is probably under 2 Amps.  A drop in the bucket and unlikely to cause any voltage sag at all.  

Almost no home system requires more than 15A. A properly installed 15A can supply 20A continuously for about an hour. Other than class A, nothing draws anywhere near that much power.

It’s a bad idea to run multiple circuits for a HiFi, doubly dumb if they are not on the same leg. Earth Safety should be as close together as possible for minimum chance of ’ground’ issues.

On a 20A circuit w ≈700wpc [175wpc tube] and a voltmeter on the input never budges at any volume. Ditto on a ’scope.