Running dedicated AC mains .... need advice ....


I'm running two new 30ft dedicated lines of 12 ga Romex, and one 15ft line. The two longer lines will be one for digital sources and one for analogue sources, with the shorter line going to my subwoofer. I'm NOT going to standard AC wall recepticles, but am going to just bring the Romex straight in to the two PS Audio power conditioners using standard IEC connectors. I'm also taking the Romex straight to the sub itself ... bypassing the need for wall recepticles and AC power cables. The system is NOT moving from where it is at, so I see no need to add extra breaks in the lines at the walls.
Here then is my question : Should I use 3 copper ground rods driven in to the ground ? One for EACH Romex line ? This would keep the grounds separated and as short as possible.
Or should I use the Romex's own grounds back to the electrical panel, and ground at ONE place below the AC panel ? This would be MUCH longer ground runs, and seems that it would make for an inferior grounding scheme ?
Obviously, I need good advice.
Thanks
timtim
You are taking this way too seriously.

I have 3 dedicated lines all with 10 gauge going direct to the circuit panel. On the other end are Wattgate outlets.

Wiring direct will be a pain later down the road as your system changes , and it will look crappy and will not provide any sonic benifits.

Too many grounds and you will induce humm.

However, lifting the ground on your Digital might improve things.
My instinct would be to use ONE copper ground rod, close to the system, with the grounds of the three Romex runs coming together at one and only one physical point, at that ground rod.

As you obviously realize, the upside of dedicated runs that are separate for digital and analog components is reduced cross-coupling of digital noise into the analog components. The downside is possible voltage offsets between the chassis (and consequently the signal grounds) of the different components in the system, particularly at high frequencies (such as typical noise frequencies), due to the inductance in the wiring. If your components are unbalanced, meaning that they use single-ended interconnects, these voltage offsets result in extraneous current flow in the shields of those interconnects, that is in common with the current flow of signal return paths.

So to minimize that downside, you want to have the chassis and consequently the signal grounds of all of the components as electrically common as possible, with as little inductance between them as possible. DC resistance will probably be sufficiently low regardless of what you do; the concern is with inductance, that can dramatically increase ground run impedance at noise frequencies.

I think that using one ground rod as I suggested will accomplish that. As long as the grounds are tied together at only one point, so that no ground loops exist, there is no reason to "keep the grounds separated." And having three separate rods in relatively close proximity doesn't really keep them separate anyway.

Regards,
-- Al