Fremer's Single-leg panel is absolute tweak bs
So a few months ago a video appears on Youtube with Michael Fremer and some electrical contractors installing a custom electrical service and extravagant ground rod array.
OK, but the one thing about it that’s absolute unnecessary tweaky BS is the idea of running a single leg to a sub panel, as well as only using one leg for the audio equipment in it. Who ever thought this was a good idea? It isn’t.
If you really want to get as high-end tweaky as you can this is the absolute wrong way. Run 6 gauge or larger to a sub pane. In that sub panel you locate a 220V to 120V step down transformer and keep everything balanced all the way to the outlets. That is the best of all worlds. High noise rejection, meets code, balanced current draw from both legs and extremely low voltage drop from the utility pole to the outlets.
Another good alternative is to run 220V to a wall outlet, and use a high quality step down transformer there. A 220V/30A circuit becomes 60A at 120V output. Running high voltage as close to the outlets as possible doubles your wire gauge effectiveness.
I I'm not an electrical engineer or electrician just a audio guy trying to get better sound. This is my take! Save money by dumping the step down transformer as it adds more noise. In the USA residential single phase split 120/240 Volts, 240 Volts is more efficient then 120 Volts. 240 Volts is half the amps as 120 Volts. 240 Volts is balanced power right from the pole transformer to your house. In my opinion your audio gear will sounded better on 240 Volts then 120 Volts. 😎 Mike |
@kingrex said:
I have no doubt in what you say. But show me the circuit. Here is the circuit as I see it. The EGC, IF used, >>> to the service equipment grounded conductor >>> to the neutral of the split phase secondary winding of the power transformer. There, some, of the noise energy is dissipated in the winding in the form of heat. Mother Earth is not involved.... Show me the circuit if you think it is. Please provide any credible proof from someone like Henry Ott, as an example, who says noise can be "shunted", diverted, to mother earth. Show me the circuit if you think it is. You said, Quote: "Read the Sores books. Read the Morrison books." .... How about a quote, a White Paper, of Morrison’s that will backup your thinking. Those in authority need to stop telling audiophiles noise on a circuit ground can be shunted, diverted, to earth. I still read current posts where audiophiles are driving a rod outside their audio room using it to replace the branch circuit EGC. Dangerous as Hell... And in the case of a bolted ground fault it will never trip the circuit breaker in the panel. Never...Works great for hunting fish worms though. Finally this:
I know nothing about the Entreq... What I know about the Shunyata ALTRAIRA Ground System I learned from watching the video I posted above. What Gabriel has built, and his explanation of how it works, makes sense to me. He uses individual filters that are connected, to each ground post on the back of the box that are then connected to a common ground conductor. So all the filtered grounding posts are connected together. He has two boxes. One for the Chassis ground and one the signal circuit ground. NOTE no where in the video does he promote floating, disconnecting, the EGC from any audio equipment that uses it. If fact, as I remember from watching the video, He says, and rightly so, the electrical service connection to mother earth is for lightning protection. Not for, shunting, diverting, noise to earth... He didn’t fully explain, unless I missed it, how he treats the chassis of Class II double insulated audio equipment where an EGC is not used. That equipment is different... That equipment the Signal ground and DC B -, is connected directly to the chassis. One mistake I caught was him saying tube equipment designers connect the signal ground and DC B - directly to the chassis. That’s not true. Some might, but not all. What I did find interesting, if true, some equipment noise the rectifier(s) make in the DC power supply(s) circuit designers dump it onto the chassis. Maybe Gabriel could show them how to install a filter between the signal ground, DC B - , and chassis. That would solve a lot problems. . Jim . |
Extravagant is the difference between what the NEC would require (minimum 2) and what was installed. As in many cases, the NEC often specifies the minimum requirements, not the maximum. You can be NEC code compliant and extravagant at the same time. But really, that entire post above should be memorialized.
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@kingrex only installed one ground rod, 20ft long into the earth. He then tested the rod to soil resistance using the proper test equipment. kingrex met the requirements of 2020 NEC 250.53 Exception. Exception: If a single rod, pipe, or plate grounding electrode has a resistance to earth of 25 ohms or less the supplemental electrode shall not be required. Kingrex's use of the Cadweld System (Trade Name for a exothermic welding process) is unusual for a residential dwelling unit but it is a 100% solid conductivity zero resistance connection of the grounding electrode conductor to the grounding electrode, (ground rod). It will be that way forever... Can't say that about an approved ground rod clamp. Remember the connection is buried in the earth below grade. How often is the connection checked after it is installed? FWIW The grounding electrode system primary purpose is for lightning protection. It is the foundation for a good system ground connection to earth for an electrical service. The lower the soil to electrode resistance the faster a whole house SPD will divert a lightning transient to mother Earth. Also worth noting 25 ohms is to high of a soil to grounding electrode resistance. IEEE (Green Book) recommends 5 ohm or less for commercial and industrial facilities. Lightning could care less if it's a residential dwelling. .
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