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DIY Active Ground Box

I recently received a custom cable that has three loop-ground spades that are linked to the cable's shield. The cable was originally designed for phonograph use, but my customized version is being used in a digital to analog function. The manufacturer left the loop-spades in. The manufacturer said I could just use electric tape to "cap them off."   The ground cables are not 100% necessary in this application. However, they are an exposed conductor. I know that I can enhance their performance by treating them as a floating shield by using an active ground.

I was thinking it would be cheaper and more practical to make my own. Does anyone have experience doing this? If so, can you share your design ideas?

The concept I have seen and want to build on, is making a wooden box that is coated internally with copper plates. Then use an IEC C14 socket to attach the ground lead to the copper plates via a solid copper cable.  Then create a simple plug using a NEMA 1-15 connector where only the ground lead is connected.

Then insert banana plug sockets that also attach to the copper plates via a copper cable. Then connect the spades to the banana plug outlets.

Once this contraption is plugged into the wall socket, it should effectively attach to the house's ground.

Thoughts?

guakus
guakus's avatar
guakus OP
352 posts
 

@lowrider57 

How do I get the three ground spades connected to common ground?  The wall plug is too far away.  I need a way to extend their conductance to ground.  I cannot use any screws on the audio equipment as the screws are recessed into the plate, so having a thick spade connected to it will compromise the construction.

 

guakus's avatar
guakus OP
352 posts
 

@4krowme 

I am using Shunyata's Venom V16 power distributor, which is grounded to the wall.  Even if I use that, I still need to find a way to connect the spades.  They're about 6 to 7 inches in length. It just seemed practical to have a box to connect all three and then connect that to the common ground.

djones51
4,947 posts
 

Instead of electrical tape I'd use shrinkwrap.

thyce
32 posts
 

It may be simpler to just plug all the equipment into the same wall outlets, and then you would have a better common ground.  Then you could add your DIY supplemental ground after that and not worry about adding a ground loop or causing a safety hazard.  If you really want to hotrod your setup plug everything into a good power conditioner and that will give you a much superior common ground plus power conditioning.

guakus's avatar
guakus OP
352 posts
 

@thyce 

I guess I should disclose my system.

The socket is Audioquest NRG Edison with a PSAudio Noise Harvester in one socket, the other is the Shunyata Research Venom V16 power conditioner using their Reference Delta V2 XC high current cable. 

The problem is the custom Synergistic Research Atmosphere Alive Phono cable.  I needed a cable that went from 3.5 Stereo Mini Pin to Left/Right RCA.  When I ordered the Foundation version, they left off the ground loops.  For some reason, they decided to leave the ground loops on. Three of them.  One for the 3.5 mini pin and one each to the RCA connectors.  They're connected to the braided shield, so really, it has a floating shield. 

I know Synergistic sells a "ground block" and other companies sell "ground block" products, but I was hoping to DIY a version. I cannot simply take these 6 inch cables with an open spade and just magically connect them to the wall socket or even the Venom V16.  They need a way to get there.

My idea is, any signals the shield captures, would drain into the box and the box drains into the actual shared ground as all the rest of the equipment. :)

Does that make a little more sense? :)

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