HELP I think I have an electrical issue??


A few months ago I had 2 20amp dedicated lines with hospital grade duplex's installed. All was well with my Bel Canto Ref1000 mono's. Well a few days ago I just got a pair of Genesis m60 tube amps. I was noticing a clicking noise coming through my speakers. I first noticed this when I was just warming up the amps with no source on. Then I also noticed the clicking when a source was on with music playing.

So it turns out that the clicking noise is my electric ignition of my gas furnace, is somehow playing through my speakers (Or maybe its just one of them, not exactly sure yet) This is a very strange and annoying. If anyone has any ideas please let me know!

Tim
tmesselt
I think you have an airborne RFI issue as mentioned by a couple of other people. The tube amp may be more susceptible to RFI than the Bel Canto due to the open chassis design of most tube amps.
Well, due to the fact that I was not wiring the isolated ground correctly I switched out my outlets to a standard 20amp outlet and the clicking is still there, but at least it is connected correctly.

As far as the Ref1000s I sold them along with the balanced ICs that went with them to fund the purchase of the Genesis and my new ICs which have not gotten here yet.

As far as my house ground, I just had that installed a few months ago also, he drove a stake in the ground and also grounded to my water main.

So, now I am at a crossroads, the clicking is not all that bad, can this power do harm? Is it possible that this power that is causing this clicking thru my speakers is also causing a degradation in my overall sound quality (even when the furnace is not starting up?) I say this because it is possibly something I can live with for a bit.

On the other hand, I have contacted my electrician who has not gotten back to me yet, but what would I want him to do?

Run a subpanel with just my audio equipment on it with its own dedicated ground??? Would this have to be another stake drove into the ground??

Also I just unplugged my ICs, so all that was hooked up was speaker wire and power to the Genesis amps and the clicking was still there so even though the ICs were a long shot they are no also ruled out.

I really want to thank everyone for their input, it is very nice of you all.

Best Regards,
Tim
03-28-09: Tmesselt
Well, due to the fact that I was not wiring the isolated ground correctly I switched out my outlets to a standard 20amp outlet and the clicking is still there, but at least it is connected correctly
If the receptacles are isolated ground recepts you could have left them in.... NEC requires if an isolated ground type receptacle is used with a plastic box the cover plate has to be made of a non conductive material... Plastic, Nylon, wood, ect....

Run a subpanel with just my audio equipment on it with its own dedicated ground??? Would this have to be another stake drove into the ground??
Dedicated ground? A dedicated earth ground for the sub panel that is not connected to the main grounding electrode system of your home?
Don't do it. And if your friend is a licensed electrician he won't do it.

Also I just unplugged my ICs, so all that was hooked up was speaker wire and power to the Genesis amps and the clicking was still there so even though the ICs were a long shot they are no also ruled out.
Did you install shorting plugs on the inputs of the amps?

Call the people who installed the furnace.

I am no Ham Radio Operator but if one has been following this thread they might chime in. If the ignition module or ignitor is not bonded, grounded, properly to the frame of the furnace a resistance will exist between the ground of the module/ignitor and the grounded furnace chassis. This can amplify the transmitting RFI of the ignitor.. A transmitting antenna.

Ngjockey, am I correct in my thinking?
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Popping sounds are caused by arc faults. People hear them through speakers when turning on a light switch also.

Have the electrician check the wiring connections from the boiler ignitor to the control panel. There should be a black and a white wire from the ignitor to the boiler control box (120 volt). Sounds like you may have a loose connection. That sound you hear is from an electrical arc that is caused by a space between the wires and the connectors. The loose connection is either at the ignitor or the control box.

Also have him check all the boiler wiring from the boiler shutoff, to the 24 volt transformer and to the boiler control panel. It is also possible that the ignitor itself is bad. Or it's possible that the neutral or ground at the boiler switch is reversed. Or worse, the neutral is bonded to the ground screw. Just have him check everything - sometimes Joe the Boiler Man does his own wiring.

If that's not the case, have the electrician check to see that the boiler wiring is not "borrowing" a neutral (he'll know what that means). If it is, then a dedicated circuit for the boiler wiring may solve the problem.
Jea48

So my first move should be to my furnace company? (This is somewhat overwhelming for me as so my responses with different advice have all came in) But afterall the furnace would more than likely be a free service call due to the fact that it is so new, and then just figure it out from there.

Also I have checked the furnace ground. They grounded it to the gas line that runs right next to it, then there is another ground coming from the panel, inside the furnace there is a wire nut connecting these 2 grounds to the actual ground for the furnace. All of those connections seem to be in correct.

Could any of this be caused by double tapping my ground bar in my panel??