[Mike B.]

Where are you plugging in your power amps?

[TomS]

Where are you plugging in your power amps?

I have mine are plugged into the PSM156

[Cappy]

Are there current limitations on each outlet on the PM156?

I am wondering if I could just use one outlet on the PM156 and plug my UberBuss into it.  That way, at minimum, I would get the advantage of my preferred AC receptacles. 

Possible product idea for Puritan: a smaller form factor PM device with one inlet and one outlet that could be placed before another power conditioner of another manufacturer - to get advantages of dc blocking, surge suppression, and AC filtering.  Not sure if there is a technical downside to this, though.

[jtwrace]

might not be compatible depending on topology.

[Big Red Machine]

Are there current limitations on each outlet on the PM156?

I am wondering if I could just use one outlet on the PM156 and plug my UberBuss into it.  That way, at minimum, I would get the advantage of my preferred AC receptacles. 

Possible product idea for Puritan: a smaller form factor PM device with one inlet and one outlet that could be placed before another power conditioner of another manufacturer - to get advantages of dc blocking, surge suppression, and AC filtering.  Not sure if there is a technical downside to this, though.

Not sure the duplexes would be a factor any more after the improvement this makes. I would also guess your Uber is not going to be needed as well having owned one or two along the journey.

[Cappy]

Looking at pictures of the back of the PSM 156 unit, I see each outlet is clearly marked "Max 15a-3500VA".

Paul Rigby's review confirms each outlet can handle 15a.

Big Red - thanks for your input, interesting.

[AndrewA]

Yep. Unlike many other devices, all receptacles are rated to handle power amps, etc.  I have my two monoblocs plugged in, as well as everything else (preamp, cd player).  For the amount of extra filtering, the 156 made sense for me.  The internal pictures (Google images) tell the story.

[sfox7076]

So you are driving a ground outside into the earth?  Is it bonded to the neutral through the panel? Is it bonded to the other ground rods?  If it isn't, I am pretty sure your homeowners policy is no longer valid...  If it is, what is the purpose?

[Wig]

@ sfox7076

The supplemental grounding rod IS NOT bonded or connected to your house panel grounding scheme in any way, its main purpose is to be used with the Ground Master Device that will take care of any faults if that were to happen to your audio system. You can review Puritan youtube video on this device.

Wig

[debjit.g]

@wig and others,

As I understand the separate grounding rod is connected to one terminal of the GM, the other terminal is then connected the PSM ground lug itself. This ground lug is also connected to the PSM chassis ground which in turn is connected to the panel/house ground. So in a way the GM is indirectly connected to the ground and also providing an alternative ground path. Did I get this correctly ? Will this cause code violation ?

[Big Red Machine]

Sounds more like a diode. A gozouta and no gozinta for noise to travel out and not for signal to go back through the system.

[A_shah]

Over the past 7 years I have owned at least 8 power conditioners and all of them made improvements in my system but NO where near the performance of Puritan Audio Laboratories PSM 136!

For the first time I’m hearing so much more information that has been buried by the barrage of ground noise; detail, ambiance, sound stage width/depth and note sustainment is remarkable by just adding this Puritan.

I have also bought their ground master device that is said to remove the noise from your audio system ground to the supplemental rod that has to be installed. This modification has been completed and I’m waiting on the device to arrive to discern any notable improvement but I’m quite happy with the results of this unit!

After listening to the youtube video, go to the 15:30 minute mark and see how much noise is removed even on dedicated lines...

Wig 

http://www.puritanaudiolabs.com/products/master-purifiers/psm136/
http://www.puritanaudiolabs.com/products/ground-master/
https://theaudiophileman.com/ground-master-puritan-review/
https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/puritan/
https://www.11stereo.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VX4buciMLM

Interesting maybe worth trying

Asghar

[AndrewA]

I don't know if electrical code is significantly different in Britain, but perhaps some of these questions about ground(s) should be posed to the manufacturer.

[TomS]

Here is quoted information from Puritan's own Ground Master literature:

"Long before the problem of high frequency interference on the Earth Line became as serious as it is today, audiophiles in the know were utilising additional Ground Rods to provide an independent Earth to their HiFi installations.

Elegant as this solution may seem, this is a colossally dangerous practice for the vast majority of current installations*. This is because it risks the potentially massive current from any fault between your HiFi and your local substation finding the easiest path to Earth through your HiFi with expensive, and possibly tragic, results! This is why the practice of introducing directly connected supplementary or dedicated HiFi Ground Rods is specifically prohibited by current UK Wiring Regulations. (Except in very specific circumstances).

By utilising the Puritan Ground Master the hazards (and illegality) associated with the use of additional HiFi Ground Rods are totally avoided. And this is achieved without compromising the effective route to ground and hence the removal, of undesirable noise disturbance frequencies on the Earth Line.

With the Puritan Ground Master used in conjunction with an additional Ground Rod the potentially dangerous route to Earth of mains frequency currents is safely isolated whilst offending noise and disturbance frequencies are permitted a highly efficient, extremely low impedance route to ground ensuring their elimination.

* For the past 50 years houses have normally been connected using the Protective Multiple Earth (PME) system, whereby the Neutral Line is bonded to Earth at the substation and at other points along the way and with Neutral and Earth circuits separated at the point of entry to the building. This style of installation provides the greatest dangers if using additional ground rods without connecting though the Ground Master whilst other styles of household Earth connection will still benefit greatly with increased safety and performance by using the Ground Master"

I make no judgement one way or the other, however he does not explain specifically how the Ground Master mains current is "safely isolated" when using it with a non bonded rod(s). It would be hard to say without disclosing what's in the box, but smarter people here probably have a good guess what's going on. I do so miss the late Paul K in these moments.

Mike Powell also posted a new video on Puritan conditioners, referring to the GM here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFkzZYya6Wc

[jtwrace]

Perhaps someone should reach out to their dealer and/or Puritan.

[Wig]

Updates from the Manufacturer, Puritan Audio Labs:

"The whole idea of the GroundMaster is that it acknowledges the U.S.   “Electrical Code” and our very similar UK  “Wiring Regulations” regarding the inadvisability of connecting either dedicated or supplementary earth rods for your HiFi.  This is why you break the wire and put it though the GroundMaster.  With GroundMaster at 50 or 60Hz power supply frequency there is an open circuit to the ground rod and no current will pass. Move up into the unwanted noise frequencies in the KHz,  MHz, GHz ranges and the GroundMaster closes to allows free unrestricted passage of these frequencies only.

Think of the GroundMaster as an extremely robust high pass filter, mains frequencies 50 and 60Hz are way down in Sub Woofer territory and are completely blocked. Move up into tweeter land and beyond and everything has free passage. The key design challenges  of this “filter” is that it has to be incredibly robust and extremely  wide band.

The actual audiophile trick here is the installation of the supplementary earth rod,  GroundMaster makes it completely safe to use this trick and produces the same sonic result as a direct (dangerous) connection but with  complete safety".

Hope this explains.

Very best wishes,

Mike Lester

Puritan Audio Laboratories

Puritan Ltd

[TomS]

Thanks, good information! BTW, I sent an email to them a few weeks ago, heard nothing.

[debjit.g]

@TomS and @wig, thanks for the info.


I am not very clear on these requirements from safety perspective and when one claims insurance, so just thinking out loud - Does it need/have any certification (ex UL certification) or it is sufficient to say that it acknowledge the U.S. “Electrical Code” ?

[TomS]

@TomS and @wig, thanks for the info.


I am not very clear on these requirements from safety perspective and when one claims insurance, so just thinking out loud - Does it need/have any certification (ex UL certification) or it is sufficient to say that it acknowledge the U.S. “Electrical Code” ?

I'm no expert, but at a practical level I don't think you'd find a homeowner's policy that requires everything (non-fixed) you plug into your home's outlets must be approved by a NRTL such a UL, CSA, etc.. Grounding and bonding are a different matter, as it is part of the building's permanent (fixed) power infrastructure which is governed by local building codes (usually based on NEC, not UL which is an approval agency) and inspected as such. A building inspector will ask you to show them that the rods are all bonded together, and will inspect ground and neutral bonding in the main panel and service entrance. Explaining a "stray" un-bonded ground rod with a separate wire going into the building, that supposedly makes your hifi sound better, just might not be a very straight forward conversation.

[jtwrace]

Thanks, good information! BTW, I sent an email to them a few weeks ago, heard nothing.

That makes two of us