Hey! Need a fast answer here, so if ya know, type it!

  • Thread starter Thread starter gibson59neck
  • Start date Start date
gibson59neck

gibson59neck

Villiage Idiot Keeper
Hey - should I be plugging my amp into a power conditioner, or will a monster power strip be just fine? Reason I ask is that the jam space is in the basement of a house built in the 1800's and the outlets down there may not be the best....

Hurrry if you have an idea - first one to answer gets a greep rep! :D

(answer must be good)
 
if it's a tube then the current draw is pretty high especially on power up... maynot help much...
 
Far more important than the wiring of the house is the quality of power supplied by the electrical utility. The house wiring is not going to harm your amplifier, but you may want to ground the amp to a cold-water pipe so that it doesn't harm YOU.
 
AGCurry said:
Far more important than the wiring of the house is the quality of power supplied by the electrical utility. The house wiring is not going to harm your amplifier, but you may want to ground the amp to a cold-water pipe so that it doesn't harm YOU.
Click to expand...

This kind of advice can get you killed.

THE ONLY PLACE grounding conductors go is to the MAIN PANEL!!!!!!!!!

You don't want a difference in potential of grounding sources on any circuit.

If the place isn't properly grounded I wouldn't play there until it is.
 
Grounding just your amp to a cold water pipe could be dangerous. You really need to know more about the outlet ground source. If the house has faulty wiring and or the electrical system is grounded to some other point, establishing a second/seperate ground reference for your amp alone could create all sorts of problems including personal injury.

Lets consider this, your main electrical ground is non existent or, simply grounded to a ground rod at the service panel. This same ground source is in theory fed to each of the outlets (that's code and how it's supposed to work) and YES, it is permissible to augment/enhance your single point ground system but that's a different discussion.

OK so let assume that the basement like a lot of old basements has "developed" over the years and less than optimal conditions exisist with the electrical system. Now, you've got all your gear plugged into various outlets in the basement, mic pre's, computer, lights bass amp mixer you get the point. NOW you've decided that you'll give your amp a little something extra in the way of ground. YUP, a pressurized cold water pipe can be a good ground, but, as soon as you do your amp the favor, and unless you've totally isolated your amp from the already provided power system in the house, you've just given all the equipment and potentially the entire house a better ground reference. When you do this, you create a path and potential for current. So lets suppose you do manage to isolate the power to your amp...a UPS or isolation transformer what ever. An again, you decide to give your amp a "speacial" ground. Now you've got again a touch potential problem for the peeps. Suppose the base player is plugged into the unknown power system and you're plugged into the new improved and extra-grounded system...if you manage to come in contact with both amp chassis/grounded parts, you become a path between two ground systems, a human resistor.

Not trying to scare you but the deal is, you've got to know what you're doing and working with when augmenting ground systems in homes. NEC/NFPA spell out the grounding requirments pretty plainly. Recommendations...contact a licenced electrical contractor or inspector and have them evaluate the situation for you. They'll tell you exactly what can or should be done.

Sorry, hope I didn't piss anyone off. It wasn't my intent.
 
c7sus said:
This kind of advice can get you killed.

THE ONLY PLACE grounding conductors go is to the MAIN PANEL!!!!!!!!!

You don't want a difference in potential of grounding sources on any circuit.

If the place isn't properly grounded I wouldn't play there until it is.
Click to expand...

Good call, you beat me to it. Was composing my disertation on grounding while you jumped in. EXCELLENT ADVICE!
 
c7sus said:
This kind of advice can get you killed.

THE ONLY PLACE grounding conductors go is to the MAIN PANEL!!!!!!!!!

You don't want a difference in potential of grounding sources on any circuit.

If the place isn't properly grounded I wouldn't play there until it is.
Click to expand...
yep, seriously dangerous. Use a power conditioner/w surge protection. I use a number Tripplite(?) with battery backup. They were designed for computer and heavy as hell, but work well for the home studio. For gigs, I use a Furman PB-8.
 
punkin said:
Not trying to scare you but the deal is, you've got to know what you're doing and working with when augmenting ground systems in homes. NEC/NFPA spell out the grounding requirments pretty plainly. Recommendations...contact a licenced electrical contractor or inspector and have them evaluate the situation for you. They'll tell you exactly what can or should be done.

Sorry, hope I didn't piss anyone off. It wasn't my intent.
Click to expand...

Yup, a cold water pipe or rod is NOT adequate for a safety ground, as per NEC.
 
ez_willis said:
So, are the outlets even grounded?
Click to expand...

I haven't ever had a problem playing while plugged in down there - I recently cooked two new heads, and wondered if the outlets of a house from 1840 would be a factor. There is no noise, no blown fuse issue, nothing. They "seem" to work perfectly, and I'm sure they were added to the house some time in the 60's or later.

Just not sure if when using a head/cab, the fact that it's 150 watts means it needs something more than the outlest to the power strip set up.

All that being said, I have no idea about the outlets...
 
arcaxis said:
If you can plug one of these into the outlet and the lights illuminate to show correct wiring, you are probably safe. This tester is from Radio Shack, Walmart may have something similiar. If you can't plug it in you either don't have a grounded type of outlet or you don't live in the US.

Interesting story that probably isn't related to your blown heads, but food for thought. Several years ago I was looking at a G-K 400RB bass head at a local music store that was going out of business. Was trying a bass through it and it sounded good, but I wanted to try a different bass. I unplugged the one I had tried and got another off the rack about 10 feet away. The store had carpet in this area. Got back to plug the other bass in and as I went to plug the cord in I heard a small snap. I had built up a static charge on the carpet and discharged it into the amp. The amp no longer worked. I told the store owner the amp wasn't working and since he was trying to unload stuff for store closure, said I could have it for $20 which I said OK to. Got it home and replaced the OP amp IC in the frontend and it works just like it should. Moral of the story is watch out for static discharge around sensitive electronic gear. Again this may have no relevance to your problem, but then again....

Oh, forgot to mention. I've got an old 1800's house and a good number of outlets aren't grounded. Haven't had any problems with frying amps, but they hum more than usual than when on a grounded outlet and I do occasionally get a "buzz" off them if I touch something that is grounded.
Click to expand...
Awesome. Thanks - best advice yet - I'm going to Radio Shack today...you win a free knobber from one of the other guys - not sure who, but they'll step up soon enough. :D
 
gibson59neck said:
I haven't ever had a problem playing while plugged in down there - I recently cooked two new heads, and wondered if the outlets of a house from 1840 would be a factor. There is no noise, no blown fuse issue, nothing. They "seem" to work perfectly, and I'm sure they were added to the house some time in the 60's or later.

Just not sure if when using a head/cab, the fact that it's 150 watts means it needs something more than the outlest to the power strip set up.

All that being said, I have no idea about the outlets...
Click to expand...

if the wiring is from 1860 like you say, it should be replaced.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top