ground / earth lift

wes480

New member
I probably need a good website to explain grounds etc. to me becuase I don't really get it.

But, I got an Avalon U5 DI box, and it was preset in the "earth lift" position. I am getting the idea that this is only to be used if you have more than one piece of equipment going at the same time or something?

My Rode NTK has the same switch on the back. From the NTK manual i gathered that I should have it set to ground..

Anyways, I set the U5 to ground also, (not using them at the same time)

What should I be on and what is the difference, for these pieces of equipment?

(and can choosing the wrong one damage equip?)
 
Keep them on unless you get a ground loop hum. The hum is not subtle so you will know if you have one. If there is hum you can use the ground lift to eliminate the connection to the ground wire and therefore eliminate the ground loop.

That is the reason you should plug all connected equipment into AC plugs originating from the same outlet. Sometimes you are okay on seperate plugs going to the same circuit but not always.
 
wes480 said:


(and can choosing the wrong one damage equip?)

Choosing wrong should not be able to damage the equipment unless the place you are at has BAD wiring problems (like power to the ground).

Leave it grounded unless there is a hum problem or in some cases a radio interferance.


F.S.
 
A disadvantage to lifting a ground is that YOU may become the easiest path to ground in the event of an equipment malfunction.

That's a bad thing.

If you do have to float the ground due to a ground loop, always be conscious of what equipment is set like that, and ensure you never touch the case while touching another case or ground (or standing with your bare feet on a concrete basement floor - but that's another story...) :D

mike
 
teknomike said:
A disadvantage to lifting a ground is that YOU may become the easiest path to ground in the event of an equipment malfunction.

That's a bad thing.

If you do have to float the ground due to a ground loop, always be conscious of what equipment is set like that, and ensure you never touch the case while touching another case or ground (or standing with your bare feet on a concrete basement floor - but that's another story...) :D

mike

My personal favorite is playing guitar while singing through a ground lifted SM58. "Oooh, baby - MOTHER FUCKER WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!"
 
Actually got a blister on my lip from a ground loop and whiplash from my head snapping back so fast from the shock. Ahh the good old days.
 
That will teach you to "eat the mic" as they call it around here.

Ya my bass amp was lifted for a long time. When I discovered this I had to make use of it. So I told the guitar player to check out the cool brass bowl on top of the giant cast iron oil furnace:) Naturaly I stayed close because I thought he might like a neck massage while grasping the bowl:D

He did not like the massage.??

Just one of a few shocking tales from the past.

F.S.
 
interesting...that has happened to me before at gigs when some retard was running the sound board. (getting shocked by a dynamic mic)

He had control of the ground issues to the mics from the mixing board or something?
 
Another Ground Story

I actually had a tape somewhere of a band that we had opened for who were using our equipment ina small club once...

The singer also played guitar, and he just would not get the hint. Kept shocking himself, over and over, and over. That was one of the funniest things I had ever heard, listening to that tape like a year later to see what was on it.

"La lala Laaa.... FUCK!!!"

....."doo be doo be dooo SONOFABITCH!"

"Skiddle de bop doo wop MOTHER FUCKER!!!!!"

I wish I knew where the tape was.
 
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