2. amps-preamps
  3. 174468-159065

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
jea48
4,451 posts
 

The new Arcam Amp I just got  (I am in th US) has a US mains style cable and plugs but the ground prong is absent, and the power socket on the amp has no ground element..

The Arcam Amp AC power wiring is certified Class II, double insulated AC power wiring.  It doesn't require an EGC.

Appliance classes - Wikipedia

.

sgreg1
612 posts
 

You would think with gfi outlets and now the entire panel in a home having gfi that the plug is no longer an issue even it was in the past. Now not to go there but I feel I must. Manufactures want to be able to sport the UL stamp of approval on their products, this will allow for them to charge customers 100 time the cost of that extra prong. We all know UL is another government tied bureaucracy and a vital part of their money laundering operations. Although adding one more prong to a plug is minimal in cost the payments to the UL are not and that grounding prong gives them cover.
Sorry to go there but as the saying goes “there are no conspiracies just as there are no coincidences”!

builder3
758 posts
 

Right. Because when GFCI's came about, 50 million old homes magically had their electrical systems updated.

More to discover