2. misc-audio
  3. 193545-178608

AC Power

I have a relatively nice system, but have done nothing with my AC power, with the exception of upgraded PC’s and a cheap iFi plug in power conditioner. My question is multi fold… do I need to do something, and if so what? Dedicated line (15A or 20?)? Quality power conditioner? Both? Which one first? How do you tell?

My system is a combination of HT & 2 channel & I tend to use both simultaneously as I like to watch sports while listening to music.
My amp is (I think) a relatively low draw… Moon 330A, Rythmik sub, BHK pre, Aurender, Qutest w/Sbooster, R11’s. No high power amps are in my future & never listen above 75db. I do currently plug my amp directly into the wall. All my wall warts are gone. For my HT, add a 75” Sony TV, Marantz 7015 AVR & a Klipsch sub (although at zero volume the AVR & sub should not come into play).

I am considering buying the Furman IT-Reference 15i or 20i first as they are well reviewed & are priced very well on Amazon ($1,400 / $1,900). Before I pull the trigger, should I go dedicated power & at what amperage (my nephew, an EE & audiophile thinks I am drawing no more than 5 amps) as that will dictate the Furman model?

Interesting, my nephew thinks neither are worth the investment. His statement: “Do you have appliances on the circuit now? What kind of interference can they inject?...voltage drops would come from current draws...which trip breakers.
Not steady 60hz a good power supply handles. So it all comes back to was the power supply engineer dropped on his head as a child.”

”Personally I think it’s something audio people do when they have run out of gear to buy.”

Any thoughts or recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

signaforce
erik_squires
16,884 posts
 

Hey @mitch2

Wouldn’t this work just as well inside of the house if inserted in-line before the modem? Ground it to the copper water pipes?

Would you rather have a surge enter your home first, and then find a path to ground, or would you rather have it find a path to ground outside?  By law there should be an external grounding block which is the ideal place to put one of these.  Obviously if you are an apartment dweller you can't do that, so you do the best you can.

 

There are many Ethernet isolators available - some using transformers (like in NA’s Muon Pro) and others using fiber optic isolation like in the GigaFOIL range of Ethernet filters (i.e., fiber optic isolation link = FOIL). The price of these filters varies significantly.

Convenience and cost matter. The issue with isolators marketed to audio consumers is that they are not tested the same way that isolators for patient care devices are. The latter are tested to ensure 4kV of isolation from input to output, so if using an in-line Ethernet isolator make sure it’s tested to IEC 60601 (I think there’s a UL equivalent). Everstar is among the most affordable.

Between my modem and router I use Ethernet to Fiber isolators with a 1m air gap. At the end of runs from there to my home office or HT I use the Everstar isolators. About the same price per use. The fiber adapters run $20 each, plus the fiber optic cable.

Based on the latest research, avoid any Ethernet isolator/surge protector that grounds the signal, as those can be more dangerous. Since I don’t know which is which I never use the built-in isolators in power strips.

erik_squires
16,884 posts
 

@mitch2 

Forgot to mention, copper pipes haven't been considered good grounds for many years.  In addition to not being that great to begin with the potential use of PVC pipes to break the connection to ground is a problem.  Even if it's copper now, the next plumbing upgrade may break it.

Point is, no, grounding to a copper water pipe is no longer considered best practice.  You want to run a copper wire and bond it to your house ground.  The outside grounding block, which your cable installers put in already has this.

signaforce's avatar
signaforce OP
340 posts
 

@erik_squires Thanks! I somewhat misspoke. It is a mesh router with an Ethernet backbone, not a modem. My (fiber) modem & main router are downstairs. I also have my HT sub plugged into my secondary power.
I am less concerned (famous last words) with a lightning strike as my house is surrounded by trees twice the height of my house. I am much more concerned with a tree falling on my house. 😒
I will order the Furman PST-8D for only $20 more than the standard PST-8. It will provide conditioned power via 2 isolated power banks, not only to isolating my sub from digital, but provides future protection as my TT may move there in the future.

Please let me know if I have any flaws in my logic. Thanks again!

erik_squires
16,884 posts
 

While lightning may very well strike a tree, the surge it creates in your home can be several hundred volts, and a surge can travel for miles down a line.

jea48
4,785 posts
 

Point is, no, grounding to a copper water pipe is no longer considered best practice.  You want to run a copper wire and bond it to your house ground.  

The outside grounding block, which your cable installers put in already has this.

Don't count on it!

Verify 100% it is connected to the System Ground, Grounding Electrode System, of the electrical service equipment.

Where does a CATV cable installer ground the grounding block if the cable point of attachment is on the other side of the House? I've seen where the installer stuck a stake in the earth and attached the ground block ground wire to the stake.

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