mixsit said:
Having everything on the same circuit eliminates at least that source of ground loops. But using separate strips doesn't prevent that (if that's part of the question) Daisy-chain or star' up to the strings power limit..
Wayne
Mix,
I think you misunderstand ground loops. In as much as all of the ground wires tie together at the panel - there isn't a odd power ground loop and an even power ground loop (meaning leg one power - vrs leg 2 power). So there isn't a "this part" or "that source".
There is just a ground loop. If it's there - it's on all the grounds unless something strange has been done and they don't interconnect.
If you have a ground loop - and you check just the ground itself (with an oscilliscope for example) anywhere in the building - you'll see the dirty ground - this even if the circuit in question doesn't have any load on it.
The reason for this is that the ground has 2 (or more) different paths to ground.
Hooking gear up to one leg of the panel is a good method of designing a system from the get go so it doesn't exhibit problems - but it doesn't help any with ground loop issues.
The best bet is to find the reason for the ground loop - and solve that problem. Shy of that - rewiring and installing star grounds and isolated ground receptacles helps (note I say "helps" not solves the problem - this because you can also have RF (radio frequencies) transmit as a part of a ground loop issue - we used to trace them out with a 1950's Fender Mustang with the single coil pick-up.).
punkin,
The strips you're looking at might clean up things a bit - and the Faraday Shield will help if the problem is RF - but if you want clean you will probably need an isolation transformer -
There's a company out there that sells them at a fairly reasonable price:
http://www.tripplite.com/products/product.cfm?productID=229
http://www.tripplite.com/products/product.cfm?productID=230
The 250 watt is 163.00 US and the 500 watt is 238.00 US
You can get up to an 1800 watt unit from them - they don't list a price for that unit - but the 1000 goes for just 343.00 US.
Understand this - even with this unit - and the fact that it will isolate the chassis of your gear from a ground loop - if the GL is transmitting RF then your gear may still pick it up - all this will do (or any isolation equipment for that matter) is clean up the signal on the ground itself - and stop it's internal coils from picking up any RF (the Faraday Shield) but no matter how clean the power is - that Mustang would still pick up the signal.
And if that is the case then we are back to finding the cause of the ground loop and solving the problem. Because nothing including isolation transformers and star grounding systems will stop equipment sensitive to RF from picking up the signals if there is a ground loop.
Do you see?
Sincerely,
Rod
