Dedicated Circuits/Isolated Grounds

Jaffeassc, there is nothing wrong with installing isolated ground outlets in your setup. They cost a bit more and are not needed when the box is mounted to wood studs. You can use regular hospital grade outlets without an isolated ground and save a few bucks. Some people might use isolated ground wiring and outlets if type MC (metal clad) cable or metal conduit is used to feed the outlets even if the metal boxes are mounted to wood studs. The long run of metal surrounding the conductors could introduce some noise into you systemt through the single ground wire connected to the raceway and the outlet. It is a NEC code to ground all metal raceways,enclosures,and boxes. The ground screw to the box must be an approved ground screw and always green in color. You could simply wrap the bare ground wire in the romex cable around the ground screw on the box and then connect it to the outlet. Or use a plastic or fiber outlet box that requires no grounding. Always use the screws on the outlet to secure the wires. Tighten with the loop on the wire going clockwise. If you dont the wire will try to back off the screw when you tighten it. Do not use the push in slots in the back of the outlet. The hospital grade outlets usually have a clamp that the wire goes under and is tightened by the screw. Do not wrap the wire around the screw in this case, use the clamp. Leave 6 inches of wire out of the box to connect to the outlet. Thats a little hard to do with #10 but thats a NEC code too.

Jaffeassc,
That was a great question. First off, any good electrician will laugh you off the face of the earth if you suggest using anything greater than 12ga. The use of such heavy gauge wire for audio goes against everything they have learned. Hell, it goes against everything I have learned.

Having said that, the heavier the wire, the better the sonics, at least from my experience. I just Google hospital grade electrical outlets and found a number of manufacturers home pages. I found two of two manufacturers who accept 10 ga. I only looked at a couple sites. I use the Wattgate (stupid expensive)after trying most of the high quality outlets. It was a clear improvement, but not until everything else in your system is addressed. This outlet does accept 8 ga. I have tried my Wattgate on a couple other systems and heard very little improvement, so I think your on the right track so fat.

I suggest you research the outlet you want and order it on line. You might talk to Albert Porter, an Audiogon friend who has cryo-treated a number of Hubble outlets and he sells them at cost to us A'gon members. He could tell you the maximum gauge wire they will accept.

jd

Thanks again everyone. I think I've learned more about wiring than I ever intended to know. I'm in the process of researching outlets now (never thought I'd say that either)and it looks like I'll be using the hospital grade Hubbell #'s 8300 (125v) & 8400 (250v). JD, I think I'll pass on the 8 guage (hopefully I won't be sorry) but your right, I already made 2 electricians laugh when I told them I wanted to use 10 gauage. Happy Holidays to all.