Dedicated Circuits - Subpanel importance?

The main purpose for a ground connection to earth is for lightning protection. It does absolutely nothing for improving the sound of an audio system. The earth does not possess some magical mystical power that sucks nasties form an audio system.

If only audiophools understood this one thing...

... and adding additional rods may make the system less capable to survive a strike.

The Ott link seem DoA...

Leg is not synonymous or the same thing as electrical phase. Most residential homes in the US are single phase. One phase of 240V is brought from the transformer and split into 2 x 120V. It’s one wave cycle split in two—2 legs of the same phase.

Three phase is 3 different wave cycles, 120 degrees apart.

  I believe what I believe, BUT it doesn't change the truth. It almost depends on which expert you ask about one phase or two going to a residential home. My understanding is this, 1) that if in fact that two separate conductors were run to a panel, but were of the same phase, you would still have 120 volts, but with more possible current capacity.  2) OTOH, if each of these two conductors (at 120 volts each) were Out of phase with each other, Then the DIFFERENCE between them will equal 240 volts. 

 I have heard this discussed more than once, especially at the PS Audio site, which would be damned near a reference for me. 

@lowrider57 Said:

Understood. We discussed this when you advised me about replacing my meter box and outside line due to corrosion. If you remember, distortion and DC was entering my service panel.

I remember the thread. Harmonic distortion caused by a corroded connection in the meter socket was causing a problem with a piece of audio equipment. Wasn’t it a noisy buzzing, vibrating, power transformer?

I think where I’m confused is from comments in threads about using an "independent" ground rod (or 2) from a subpanel or main panel. My take is that these ground rods are not bonded to the main panel. This doesn’t sound kosher. Is there any reason to use multiple ground rods spread out in the backyard? Yes, I know earth doesn’t possess any magical powers.

Independent, dedicated, isolated, ground rods are dangerous. They violate all electrical safety codes.

NEC 250.54 Auxiliary Grounding Electrodes is one of the dumbest code editions ever. All the additional grounding electrodes do is to provide lightning a direct path into a building’s electrical wiring damaging electronic equipment as it goes on its merry way to the electrical service’s main grounding electrode system back to earth. Lightning loves Auxiliary Grounding Electrodes..

.

I have never seen phase used for anything other than the distinction between single and three phase in the NEC. Which is what we are talking about in reference to someone claiming that there are 2 phases in single phase service.

2 phase power is not used anymore.

For something to be out of phase, there must be at least two identical wave forms that don’t line up. In 3 phase power, 3 wave forms are 120 degrees out of phase. In single phase power, one wave form is split in two, but not out of phase.