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component grounding

So this whole thing about grounding audio gear. There are millions of pieces of vintage audio gear out there without ground plugs. In fact, many don't even have a polarized two prong plug. Yet search as I may, I can't find one situation where someone was killed or seriously injured from an ungrounded piece of audio equipment. I've been in the HiFi business for over 50 years.....Never saw a recall or a warning or anything until recently. This past year I built a Bob Latino ST120 Tube Dynaco clone amplifier. I was surprised to see a lampcord power cord with no ground. When I inquired I was told by many to not ground it as it wasn't necessary and might introduce hum......Can someone show me documented case where injurie resulted from an ungrounded piece of equipment?

rbertalotto
czarivey
5,939 posts
 

The gear built pre 90's don't have no ground plugs at all and no one died

rbertalotto OP
138 posts
 

I've been zapped plenty of times by ungrounded equipment.

If you play with any electronics enough...You'll get "zapped"...But that's not dead or injured....

I recently bought a Zero Zone tube preamplifier.....It has a three prong plug but the ground terminal is not connected. How can they sell this in the USA (Especially Illinois) where in many states,  everything with a plug needs UL approval.Can an ungrounded piece of equipment still get UL approval?

 

sbank's avatar
sbank
3,378 posts
 

Somebody once stepped on one of my power cables and killed a couple of tweeters! He didn't mean to do it, I won't name him.

daveyf's avatar
daveyf
2,857 posts
 

Maybe a better question to ask instead of what's the harm if nobody has been killed or harmed yet due to the ungrounded gear in their possession...would be why not take the high road ( ground..pun) and ground all gear? Thereby eliminating the one in a million possibility of death..particularly IF you happen to be the one! 

oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 

Think kids, not grown up kids. There is a safety issue for sure. Kids, water, animals, electricity, NONE of that works out. 

No smiles, or grins or LOL. I'm a good Dad no shortcuts.

Well maybe a few for the grown up kids. I just want to add PLEASE video your silly A$$ when your getting boiled. To even think people don't die every year by the THOUSANDS, is just nuts. They do. It's only 100-120 VAC right? Wake up. Number one killer is 110-120 vac.

Two times I've seen ditch work with electrical accidents. 120vac. I saw 100s of safety films through the years. And knew one that survived after putting a pickaxe through a PG&E conduit. He blew up and lived.

The neighbor down the street decided to dig out his basement. I see this MESS going on in his front yard (no permits). Two weeks later the city catches on and guess what? The house is gutted by a fire. The idiot had an arcing extension cord in the crawl along with a gas leak. ALL no permits..

They took him to jail. 60 days in the slammer he's out on bail cleaning the million dollar mess. Like I'd let him near the property again if I was a neighbor.. Total NUT!

I'll never forget him saying "This is the prettiest street in town". Sure isn't any more.

Regards

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