Grounding my PA System at outdoor gigs

D

Danoforest

New member
Some advice would be helpful. Lots of outdoor gigs under tents, on the lawn or old buildings. Periodic shock off microphones occur. How can I insure system is grounded and safe for performers? Is there a rack mount item that I can add to the system.
PA is small. 16 channel mixer/ three (3) 1500w amps/100 foot snake. Usually only requires 15 amp power supply. Thanks.
 
Only sure bet is an eight foot ground rod... other than that you're at the mercy of the facility hosting...
 
Yeah, often older building were not properly wired/grounded, the ground wire was pulled by someone, or it corroded into non-existence. I'd run EVERYTHING (except lights) thru the same power conditioner, and make sure it is properly grounded. That should do it.
 
Take an outlet tester (plug in type) and check the earth on the power supply before plugging anything in, I used to do this every time I set up a PA in my live sound days, I found numerous outlets with no earth connected or the active and neutral reversed. If you have no earth don't use the power, try a different outlet and if no joy get the organiser of the event to get an electrician, not doing this may result in DEATH!!

If there is a 3 phase board, try to plug all the PA into the same phase (unless it's a very large system and it's going to overload then you need a distribution system) there are often voltages between phases due to uneven loads across phases so if the guitar amp is on 1 phase and the PA on the other the guitarist may get a zap from the mic even if the earth is OK.

If you are running lights use a different phase unless the lighting rig is 3 phase then you have no choice but to use all 3.

Cheers

Alan.
 
Ya' know, witzendof speaks the truth. Dunno why I forgot that. Good power supply is NOT your responsibility, it's the venue's.

My son, the true recording engineer (I am a poser, compared to him) INSISTED on building his own "Distro board" last summer. He said it cost him about $200 or more, but was probably worth it.
 
stevieb said:
Ya' know, witzendof speaks the truth. Dunno why I forgot that. Good power supply is NOT your responsibility, it's the venue's.

My son, the true recording engineer (I am a poser, compared to him) INSISTED on building his own "Distro board" last summer. He said it cost him about $200 or more, but was probably worth it.
Click to expand...

Yes this is the way to go!!! I have several different Distros and one happens to be a bare tail one so I can open the box (TURN OFF POWER) and hock up your bare tails into the box and your good to go! ;)
 
Danoforest said:
Some advice would be helpful. Lots of outdoor gigs under tents, on the lawn or old buildings. Periodic shock off microphones occur. How can I insure system is grounded and safe for performers? Is there a rack mount item that I can add to the system.
PA is small. 16 channel mixer/ three (3) 1500w amps/100 foot snake. Usually only requires 15 amp power supply. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Go to Home Depot and purchase a portable GFI. It will cost you about $35. It's the unit designed to exactly address the problem you specified. Power conditioners typically do not address the problem of ground faults and the resulting shock hazard. We've been using GFIs on our PAs for over a decade and all I can say is: inexpensive, painless, long-lasting, peace-of-mind---and as easy to use as an extension cord. I think a portable GFI is exactly what you're looking for. An 8-foot copper ground rod is no fun unless you can drive it through a caterer's floor.

Paj
8^)
 
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