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Re: Tube amp HUMMMMMMM...Ground?
Mark,
The electrical codes vary from county to county around this country,
though you can get a
rough idea from looking at the codes. I've worked as an electrician
setting up grounds for the
mains in several different states. Usually there is some sort of
grounding rod that you pound
into the earth outside your house. This is from 18" to 4' long. And some
places require that you
place this grounding rod a few feet away from that house so that the eaves
of the house don't keep
the soil too dry. Then a #10 or #8 gauge stranded wire is strapped to
that with a clamp and it
runs straight to the breaker box. Some codes allow for ground and neutral
to be connected right
in the box, others require them to be separate the entire time.
If your plumbing is all copper and it goes into the earth, this would
also be a good way to
get "ground" to your gear. If any part of it is plastic, then you are
depending on the water to
conduct the ground, not as effective. It may turn out that the easiest
way to go would be to run
a grounding wire out the window and down to a grounding rod. Just make
sure you don't do this in
an area prone to lightning...
As far as checking out the nearest cold water pipe in your house, you
will not risk damage to
your gear, whether or not it works in getting rid of the hum. Just make
sure that there is no
possible way for that wire to make contact with either of the other two
wires.
Stephen
<<<<I've been told a down and dirty way to set up a ground (I always like
the Brit's "earth" better) is to take a wire from the ground socket and
bring it to some form of plumbing, like a sink pipe or toilet. Is this
OK? I'm sure our landlord wouldn't be up for paying an electrician to
set up a proper ground, so this is something that I'll have to be able
to do.>>>>
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