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New Dedicated Line - Almost No improvement

Hello,

Newbie here and electrical idiot. Just moved to a new to us house in Tampa. Before we moved in I had an electrician put in a dedicated line (has it's own breaker switch) which is 10 gauge and two Furutech GTX-D outlets - Rhodium.

When I hooked up the EMI meter in my old house, which didn't have a dedicated line, the reading was usually around 26 or so IIRC. At the new house the outlets are 89 usually and the dedicated line is usually around 82 - so not much help for the cost of the "project" and pretty noisy.

Also, when the ac /hvac is running the meter reads about 100 points higher (!) for both the regular outlets and the dedicated Furutechs. Not good.

Thoughts? Does the dedicated line need it's own breaker box? 

I'm also considering a line conditioner but wanted to see what could be done here. Thanks.

laynes
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,417 posts
 

@papafrgog

don’t underestimate the value a good ground. BIG FACTOR.

Can you elaborate on the grounding in your system? Was the electrician experienced with installing dedicated lines for an audio system?

daledeee1's avatar
daledeee1
562 posts
 

I recently had my service replaced. A solid copper rod was driven about 5 ft deep into the ground outside. This was wired to the buss bars in the panel for my house. I have seen grids buried in the ground as well. The rod that was driven into the ground is a standard installation by code.

jea48
4,416 posts
 

I recently had my service replaced. A solid copper rod was driven about 5 ft deep into the ground outside.

5/8" x 8ft is the minimum per code.

Driven Grounding Electrodes: Understanding what they are ...

 

jea48
4,416 posts
 

If you say you have a dedicated line and are getting noise from the AC then you dont have a true dedicated line. A true dedicated has to be brought in independent from the street. At the very least you are sharing a ground on your dedicated line.

A true dedicated has to be brought in independent from the street.

Good luck getting that...

 

At the very least you are sharing a ground on your dedicated line.

Per code the EGC (Equipment Grounding Conductor) of a branch circuit shall be ran in the same conduit or cable and connect the equipment ground bus in the same panel the branch circuit originates.

Exception, when a branch circuit is fed from a subpanel where an isolated ground receptacle is used an insulated isolated ground EGC can be extended and connected to the main electrical panel equipment ground bus.

No dedicated isolated ground electrodes allowed... They serve no purpose and can be electrically dangerous to life.

An Auxiliary ground rod is acceptable per NEC provided it is connected to the EGC of the branch circuit wiring. (NEC 250.54)

.

theaudioamp
221 posts
 

From Bill Whitlock,  (https://www.prosoundweb.com/author/bill-whitlock/)

 

"In reality, most of the reports of fantastic noise reduction attributed to earth ground rods are actually the result of the separation of various ground wires and their connection to a single point. It is the separation of the ground current paths that eliminates the common-impedance coupling of noise from noisy equipment into quiet equipment. It is extremely rare for an additional earth ground connection to solve a noise problem."

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