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Dedicated subpanel

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shrinkmore:
I have in a previous home and am in the next couple of weeks, installing a subpanel with 6 dedicated lines, one for each component.  In this new installation, I will be using 6 audiophile AC cord lines, hardwiring them into the subpanel, each with a dedicated breaker.  Each line will have an IEC (female component plug) for each component, just like a typical plug-in AC cord.  I am wondering if anyone has a definitive answer to:  1) the gains and losses of such a set-up and 2) the risks and benefits of a dedicated ground for the subpanel, i.e., each ground wire from the AC cords will go to a dedicated copper wire that runs to a dedicated grounding rod.  There is already a grounding rod coming off the main panel.  

Thanks for looking,

Doug

Carlman:
I installed a dedicated line but I'm not sure I follow what you're saying about the IEC end of things...

Also, are you saying you're considering a separate ground per line (6 grounds) compared to 1 common ground for the subpanel?

Either way, I have no definitive answer for you... but I would imagine no one does as it would be pretty rare to have a situation where you could compare that.  Hopefully someone that knows a lot about grounding can help with what theoretically should be better, though.

Most importantly, CONGRATS on being the 100th member of AudioNervosa!!!  Welcome!  And thanks for starting the first DIY topic. :)

 :beer:
-Carl

bpape:
I think you'd get more benefit to do a couple of other things:

- Get enough spaces to assure that all your audio circuits are on the same 110v leg of the box.

- Use the minimum number of circuits needed (with room for expansion).  The fewer different grounds, the less chance of noise.

- Use THHN for your grounds and star ground everything back to the box, or to a common ground point of approximately equal length and then a good ground back to the box.

- Use a separate and better/deeper ground rod for these circuits.   Cold water pipes aren't the best thing and in many houses, tie to less than optimal, fairly shallow ground rods.  To do it right, think about getting at least a 1/2" rod 8' into the ground.

Bryan

Anonymous:
Thanks Carl and Bryan,

Carl

Re: IEC - I am going to use an audiophile grade AC cord, e.g., without a plug installed, so all I will have is bare wire, going directly into the subpanel circuit breaker, neutral bus, and ground bus.  For example, if you took a Violet, and cut off the plug end, then connected it straight into the panel, without a receptacle or plug, and the other IEC or female end, stays as usual, and goes into the components.  There will be 6 of these.  This eliminates 3 mechanical connections near the components, 1) the romex to the outlet; 2) the plug in the outlet; 3) the ac cord to the male plug.  Saving the cost of all those components as well!  The only question is - will direct hard wiring to the panel have some detrimental effect - I doubt it, and will have 3 meters of high quality power cord in between the panel and the component to work it's conditioning.  
 
Not a separate ground rod per line, but each line will go back by itself to the panel, and from there, will be one line to the grounding rod - see Bryan below.
Being the 100th member, did I win anything? lol   :beer:


Bryan,

Yes, I am aware of all audio circuits being on the same phase - thanks for good advice.

Re: minimum different grounds - see above: each component AC cord ground wire will go directly back to the grounding bus on the subpanel, then one line to the independent ground rod.

I will look up what THHN and "star ground" mean.  Thanks, I've heard of star ground configuration before, but don't know what it means; although I'm not sure these apply give the direct hard-wiring back to the box.  Again, I'll check it out.

While we all want a better/deeper rod :roll:, do you think this could actually draw lightening and surges through the audio equipment - I have no idea?

Thanks again guys,

Doug

bpape:
I'm pretty sure that what you're describing is against code pretty much everywhere in the US.  Not a nit-picky thing but a great big no-no.  If you're going to hardwire one end to the panel, the other end needs to also be hard wired or if removable, in a grounded, isolated box and hidden - think about a dishwasher or something like that.  What you're basically trying to do is hardwire one end of an extension cord (albeit an expensive one!)

THHN is basically 1 of the strands in a pc of romex but as a single strand.

To star ground, even though you might have the + and neutral daisy chaned between 2 duplexes, you'd ground using THHN from EACH duplex directly back to the box instead of daisy chaining back through with the ground.

The grounding scheme overall sounds good with the separate ground - as long as you don't hook any video equip to the system that would be grounded to the other water ground.  That's not only dangerous but also almost a sure way to induce a nasty ground loop since your new ground will almost certainly be better than the one provided.

As long as ONLY the audio equipment is on this ground, you should be safer if anything.  The cable, phone, etc will attract more and will run through that ground.  

Bryan

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