The locked thread on grounding rods

ctviggen · « **on:** 22 Sep 2005, 06:06 pm »

OK, I have to admit I don't get it. A thread on grounding rods is locked, yet a thread isn't locked that basically tells people how to build something involving 120V, transformers, and capacitors and place all this in a non-standard, home-made box? Now, I don't know about you, but I think the latter is way, way more dangerous than the former. Plus, if you think that a second ground rod (which granted isn't good, unless it's tied correctly to the first ground rod) is bad for insurance purposes, wait until they come into your partially burnt down house and find the abomination called Felicia (not the woman, the thing with transformers, etc., with wires everywhere in a wooden box).

Plus to say that only electricians can comment is not entirely correct, when I have a copy of the NEC at home and can at least quote from it. Moreover, I'm sure the Felicia isn't UL tested.

Now, why is it bad to discuss grounding rods and good to discuss home made 120V non-UL tested power conditioners?

JoshK · « **Reply #1 on:** 22 Sep 2005, 06:24 pm »

oh geez, here we go....

Well for starters, the Felicia is fused per our design, the new ground rod has no such protection.

jermmd · « **Reply #2 on:** 22 Sep 2005, 07:19 pm »

I missed the grounding rod thread. Why was it locked? Were the administrators concerned that a reader might read the thread and kill himself by attempting it? If so, maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. I haven't heard of a thread being locked for that reason before. It must have been something really hazardous.

Glen B · « **Reply #3 on:** 22 Sep 2005, 08:22 pm »

Quote from: ctviggen

Plus to say that only electricians can comment is not entirely correct, when I have a copy of the NEC at home and can at least quote from it. Moreover, I'm sure the Felicia isn't UL tested.

Be aware that even electricians can sometimes differ in their interpretation of certain elements of the NEC.

Glen B · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Sep 2005, 08:31 pm »

Quote from: JoshK

oh geez, here we go....

Well for starters, the Felicia is fused per our design, the new ground rod has no such protection.

I am new to this forum and have only taken a cursory look at the Felicia project. I don't know if I would feel comfortable with a wooden box, fuse or no fuse.

My DIY balanced power conditioner:
http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=8452

JoshK · « **Reply #5 on:** 22 Sep 2005, 09:14 pm »

Well if it makes anyone feel better, my Felicia (the pc, not my wife) is in an aluminum case, not the wooden one Occam & Gordy are using.

jon_010101 · « **Reply #6 on:** 22 Sep 2005, 10:43 pm »

I think the concern is that adding a grounding rod changes the circuit of your entire house along with the behavior of many safety systems. Not to mention, changes to your grounding system are unlikely to yield any positive audio effects.

At least if you have some hacked together box of DIY, you can monitor it easily. And, if you think Felicia is dangerous, think about how absurdly dangerous a tube amplifier is! 400-1000VDC and some monstrous capacitors. And, what about vintage stuff... very scary... I just found out that one of my oil coupling capacitors has shorted and is leaking both DC and toxic waste oil! I haven't the foggiest clue how to safely/legally dispose of that junk.

To be perfectly blunt, audiophiles do some pretty stupid and dangerous things in pursuit of good sound. At the least we should try to limit those stupid things to our listening room or lab bench.

ohenry · « **Reply #7 on:** 22 Sep 2005, 11:48 pm »

It seems that comparing the potential safety impacts of a relatively simple DIY power conditioner project to changing a building's electical grounding scheme is a stretch.

Properly designed and implemented electronics have safely resided in wooden boxes for many years. Maybe I should throw out my old radio collection full of tubes, etc. now before it's too late... I don't see anyone busting Louis' and Vinnie's chops for the Lotus project (shorted 12 volt battery supplies can fry wires too, unfortunately I found out

).

Glen B · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 02:39 am »

Quote from: ohenry

Properly designed and implemented electronics have safely resided in wooden boxes for many years. Maybe I should throw out my old radio collection full of tubes, etc. now before it's too late...

You are right about the wooden boxes.

I grew up on tubes in the late '60s/early '70s. However, in all fairness those radios were built on metal chassis. All of the critical circuitry is contained in the chassis.

ohenry · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 Sep 2005, 09:34 am »

Quote from: Glen B

Quote from: ohenry
Properly designed and implemented electronics have safely resided in wooden boxes for many years. Maybe I should throw out my old radio collection full of tubes, etc. now before it's too late...

You are right about the wooden boxes. I grew up on tubes in the late '60s/early '70s. However, in all fairness those radios were built on metal chassis. All of the critical circuitry is contained in the chassis.

Yes, you are correct. I suppose I'm guilty of making a bit of a stretch myself.

Even the pre-1940's radios I have are mounted on a piece of metal, but surrounded by combustable material.

Maybe I should have cited the case of the dreaded bread board amps that have gained permanent "temporary-experimental" status in many demented folks' homes. Nothing but s**t nailed to a wooden shingle.