Dedicated Circuit wire alternatives?

How do I wire my new lines out of phase? Albert, I don't understand what you mean about lifting the ground within the Romex? How would I run a separate ground then?

Please excuse me if these questions are dumb (or scare you). I spent two years as an EE/CE major and regularly work on my car's DC system but I have no practical experience with house wiring (being that this is my first house).

Rcrump, I definitely have a bad something or other in the fridge. Until I replace it, it will provide a good benchmark for the power line changes to my audio gear.

Thanks!

Sean, you do have first hand experience with tin plated conductors in power cords....You also have a ton of first hand experience with tin plated copper conductors used on virtually every individual component as well as boards in your gear.....Tin ain't bright.....

Leoturetsky, I should have made that more clear in my post.

With a dedicated ground attached to your wall outlet (the ground screw) and running to a dedicated ground rod, the "original" ground wire within the Romex becomes useless.

By simply clipping it back BUT attaching the other end to the breaker panel, you get a little additional benefit.

Albert, I'll probably wind up running three lines to my audio system (amp, analog, digital). I should have one common ground for all three lines separate of the house ground, right? I don't want three rods for the three lines as that would/could produce a ground loop, right? I also see what you're saying about leaving the neutral wire in tact but unconnected. I was just being dense.

Thanks!

All three lines to your audio system should have one common ground.

On my system I achieved "preferential" grounding for the stereo. This is achieved by driving a copper ground rod deep in the earth, or using an existing copper cold water pipe. Keep these dedicated ground runs as short as possible.

Then run another wire ( I used 6 gauge ) from that same copper ground rod or copper water pipe, BACK to the ground for the house.

The stereo gets preferential ground by way of extremely short ground run, without ground potential and ground loop problems.

It is possible to experiment with the two grounds. You may listen with the grounds TOTALLY separate OR with the 6 gauge run between the dedicated run and whole house ground. The electrical code will favor tying the two together but I doubt your facing personal safety issues either way. The equipment could suffer from a catastrophic event, but the possibilities are so endless that it could fill another thread.

A word of advice if you are on a pier and beam foundation. Purchase a bus bar like those found in a breaker panel. Attach it to a copper ground clamp and attach the whole rig to the dedicated ground.

If you add additional dedicated runs to the stereo, their dedicated grounds attach to an open slot in the bus bar.

Last, saturate the copper wire connections, the screws and clamp at the bus bar with Oxguard, Cramalin or other oxidation retardant material.

Wrap the entire thing HEAVY with Scotch 2228 rubber mastic. This is a thick stretchy rubber seal (adhesive one side) that remains pliable and is pretty much water and insect proof. The connections should maintain their conductivity for many years before needing attention.