[TheChairGuy]

In the past 8 or so years I've installed hospital grade outlets in 3 places I've lived...and I always shake my head in disbelief how much benefit there is in doing so.

My system was down for a month+ (move from another home) and I just hooked it up in my new home.  I was using my backup bookshelf speakers (on solid stands) until I can find more room for my slightly larger floorstanders (which I generally prefer).

Tho the sound was okay the past two weeks everything sound dynamically challenged.  Today I remembered to re-install my hospital grade outlet in place of the $0.39 Leviton contractor specials there now.  Ba-boom...sounds of heaven again with the addition of the hospital grade outlet.

Before, I couldn't get a piano to sound natural with my vinyl set-up (my reference instrument on my reference front end)....now it's right there in the room (as it was in my prior home).

The particular one I added was a $36 Porter Port (found on Audiogon), but the $10.00 I8300 orange unit at Lowe's worked fine, too, in the past (I really didn't note a difference between Porter Port, PS Audio's PowerPort and the Lowe's $10.00 Eagle unit...but they were all vastly better than the stock outlets installed in the home). 

If you're not using one now, I urge you to do so.  It is a significant improvement for most of you.

I realize this is neither a new tweek for anyone, its made the rounds on the discussion boards for years now....but in case anyone missed it or is new to the hobby...go buy yourself some hospital grade ports.  One of the most pleasing $10-$50 you will likely spend on this hobby 

(btw, I always rid the outlet of the nasty sounding wire locknuts too...by twisting them tightly together, tying them up in electrical tape, then I put the caps on top - this way the metal lock nuts are not involved in the electrical transmission.  Slightly less etched sound is the result)

Make sure that circuit breaker is 'OFF' when you remove and install your outlets 

Trust me, I am your inspiration if you are an avowed non-DIY'er...if I did it successfully 3x, you certainly can do it 

John

[Wayner]

Hospital grade 20 amp outlets require a considerably higher insertion force to install a plug. This may help control and improve contact between outlet and plug components. This is a tweak I have done and have seen immediate results. What's nice is that there is some science to the reasoning.

Putting tape around twisted wires and then putting on the wire nut is probably not recommended by the NEC. Although I have seen wires in wirenuts wrapped with UL approved vinyl tape.

However, do as you see fit.

Wayner 

[MaxCast]

This is a Leviton I can get at a good price.  I have been debating between this and the Proter Ports.  Maybe just a few Proter Ports 

[PhishPhan]

Would this tweak still work if you use a power conditioner?

[yooper]

Nice!  I have considered trying this for far to long....I will try this in a couple days, just need to get to Lowes.

Anybody know how or why hospital grade plugs help?  The tweak in cheap enough and it doesn't matter to me if a concrete answer exists, I'm simply curious.

Hospital grade 20 amp outlets require a considerably higher insertion force to install a plug. This may help control and improve contact between outlet and plug components. This is a tweak I have done and have seen immediate results. What's nice is that there is some science to the reasoning.

Can I use the 20 amp if all my "stuff" is 15 amp?

Mark

 

[cryoparts]

The model pictured below seems to be a pic of the IG8300.  One can identify an isolated ground receptacle by the red triangle.  The green dot means it is a hospital grade.

One of the advantages of the Porter Ports (which is a Hubbell 8300H series that Albert has cryo'd) is that it has a brass back strap instead of stamped steel.  A stamped steel back strap is undesirable for a variety of reasons in my experience.

FYI--A 20A receptacle installed on a 15A line does not meet code almost anywhere.  Take that piece of advice for what it's worth.

For what it's worth, the better 15A and 20 receptacles generally have the same guts, but feature a different face plate that prevents a 20A male plug from being inserted.

Disclaimer--I sell lots of different brands of cryo'd receptacles.  So take my advice with that in mind.

Peace,

lee

This is a Leviton I can get at a good price.  I have been debating between this and the Proter Ports.  Maybe just a few Proter Ports 

[cryoparts]

Yes, IME.

Lee

Would this tweak still work if you use a power conditioner?

[cryoparts]

"Hospital Grade" merely means that the blades are not supposed to spark when inserted into a hospital grade receptacle.  Sparks around oxygen in hospitals is bad.   

Yes, you can plug your 15A items into a 20A receptacle.  Usually, the only difference is that the face plate is different.  A 15A male has two vertical blades, while a 20A male has one vertical and one horizontal, so the 20A face plate has a horizontal slot to accommodate that.

Peace,

Lee

Anybody know how or why hospital grade plugs help?  The tweak in cheap enough and it doesn't matter to me if a concrete answer exists, I'm simply curious.

Can I use the 20 amp if all my "stuff" is 15 amp?

Mark

 

[cryoparts]

A lot of people like that receptacle.  However, please keep in mind that it is a "isolated ground" receptacle, and designed to be used in a branch circuit designed for them.

Peace,

Lee

but the $10.00 I8300 orange unit at Lowe's worked fine, too, in the past

John

[MaxCast]

A lot of people like that receptacle.  However, please keep in mind that it is a "isolated ground" receptacle, and designed to be used in a branch circuit designed for them.

Peace,

Lee

but the $10.00 I8300 orange unit at Lowe's worked fine, too, in the past

John

Lee, could you please expand upon the branch circut?  How about the Leviton?
Thanks much.

[cryoparts]

Hi,

A "branch circuit" is just a term to describe a new run from the breaker box with one, or more, receptacles connected to it.  Isolated ground receptacle branch circuits generally (though not always) use metal clad Romex.

The Leviton you posted a pic of is an isolated ground receptacle.  Lots of people use them on non-isolated ground branch circuits---but I don't/won't recommend them for that use.  Pretty much anything that starts with an "IG" will be "isolated ground".  IG receptacles will also be orange or red most of the time--though certainly not all of the time, I've seen plenty of other colors.  They will, however, always be identified by the red triangle on their face.

For a much better explanation than I can give about isolated ground circuits, click below:

http://www.iaei.org/subscriber/magazine/06_b/johnston.html
http://ecmweb.com/mag/electric_grounding_vs_bonding_9/index.html

I have more references for you if this doesn't clear up the mystery.

Peace,

Lee

A lot of people like that receptacle.  However, please keep in mind that it is a "isolated ground" receptacle, and designed to be used in a branch circuit designed for them.

Peace,

Lee

but the $10.00 I8300 orange unit at Lowe's worked fine, too, in the past

John

Lee, could you please expand upon the branch circut?  How about the Leviton?
Thanks much.

[TheChairGuy]

Hey guys....Lee/cryoparts knows his stuff   

He also doesn't want to over-assert himself, but he sells a lot of receptacles....including the aforementioned Hubbell that Albert Porter has cryo'ed and sells.  Lee's version is $1.00 cheaper 

So there - I'll pimp for him (as I've had a couple items cryo'ed by him in the past and he's a decent chap): http://www.cryo-parts.com/acreceptacles.html

As I reckon - in response to various questions....

The Leviton outlet....it'll be better than the stock outlet, for sure.  Will you be able to hear significant difference moving to a Porter or Cryo-Parts $35 one....ummm, maybe    Whatever you do, don't decide to do nothing.  The step to a better outlet is a good one for $10-$50 (or more, if you'd like) spent. I'd love to hear your thoughts when you do it.

Work with a conditioner?  Most conditioners have relative strengths and significant weaknesses.  A new receptacle allows so much more to pass thru your audio chain you may find you don't need any conditioning.  Then again, you may find your conditioner to be either better, or worse, than you originally thought.  Certainly if you have neither purchased yet...buy the new outlet first - it's cheaper and almost a sure thing 

U.S. Code or not - wrap those twisted wires (where they meet...pigtails from your outlet to the romex in your walls) tightly and wrap some electrical tape around them.  Then, snugly fit the wire nut to them (so they are always snug and no part of the uninsulated wire is exposed)....the wire nut does nothing wonderful to the sound - I can assure you. 

Enjoy - John

[dogorman]

I've got an electrician and close friend coming to my house in the next few days to see if he can install a dedicated AC line to my home audio rig (we're not sure because another electrician said there was "no room in the service entrance," but my friend thinks he can do it anyway).

What I'm wondering for the readers of this thread, is this: Can I install two Channel Islands XDC-2 AC filters in the wall, in place of any of the various outlets being discussed, here? The XDC-2 is designed to be installed in the "stream" of power cord between the outlet and the electronics, and has a female IEC socket on one end for this purpose, but I was thinking that Channel Islands could build me two of these with exposed wires on that end instead of the IEC socket, and I could just put them in the wall. On the other hand, it would be a terrible shame to finally have great-sounding home audio and then, four hours later, be killed in a midnight house-fire.

What does everyone think? If not the XDC-2's in the wall, then what goes in the wall and do I still want the XDC-2's, downstream?

[TheChairGuy]

As the CIA XDC-2 is a standalone box and that you can get a hospital grade outlet for as little as $10.00 at Lowe's...it seems not wise to permanently install your XDC-2's in wall.

You may find a dedicated line and new higher spec outlet to be good enough...making the XDC-2 largely irrelevant.  You then have the flexibility to either use it in conjunction with your shiny new line and outlet...or sell it off to the used market.


If you install it immediately in wall....you lose a lot of flexibility in your options 

That's the way I look at it, at least.  John

[dogorman]

What, you mean start with the cheapest possible solution first??? Gosh, whatever fun would that be? 

[TheChairGuy]

Save your money when possible....a dedicated line and new outlet may be all you need...then again, maybe not.

Ciao - John 

[cryoparts]

Thanks John!  Where do I send the $5.00?   

Peace,

Lee

Hey guys....Lee/cryoparts knows his stuff   

He also doesn't want to over-assert himself, but he sells a lot of receptacles....including the aforementioned Hubbell that Albert Porter has cryo'ed and sells.  Lee's version is $1.00 cheaper 

So there - I'll pimp for him (as I've had a couple items cryo'ed by him in the past and he's a decent chap): http://www.cryo-parts.com/acreceptacles.html

[TheChairGuy]

Thanks John!  Where do I send the $5.00?   

Peace,

Lee

Lee, that was the deal we had back in 2006....it's now $7.25 due to inflation 

John

[JLM]

I've averaged over 100 hospital inspections per year for the past 19 years.  Part of those inspections is checking receptacles, so I've stuck a circuit tester into tens of thousands of receptacles and looked into the significance of hospital grade receptacles.

Hospital grade (those with a green circle) simply means that they've been tested for "grip" and "toughness".  The primary concern is shorts in oxygen enriched environments.  A secondary concern is durability as they get plugged into and out of quite a bit.  My experience is that red (the color most often used to designate that they are backed up by emergency power sources) hospital grade receptacles often have better grip than other colors.

I've bought from Lee, with no qualms.  My "mancave" includes three dedicated audio circuits, each feeding one 20 amp cryo'd Hubbell hospital grade duplex receptacle.  All three are tied to a separate ground.  The receptacles and staggered double stud walls were the only extras spent on the room.  (Interior wall/ceiling insulation, 12 gauge/20 amp wiring, and insulated flexible supply air ducts were typical in the house.  The insulated exterior fiberglass door was actually cheaper than the solid cherry doors used elsewhere.)

Not a smart idea to connect 20 amp receptacles to 14 gauge wiring or 15 amp breakers/fuses.  The isolated ground receptacles are simply a designation to let users know that it is on it's a circuit with isolated grounding (mostly used on healthcare for PCs that are also served by uninterrupted power).

[cryoparts]

DOH!  That's true, $5 will hardly buy a gallon of gas these days...what was I thinking?   

Peace,

Lee

Thanks John!  Where do I send the $5.00?   

Peace,

Lee

Lee, that was the deal we had back in 2006....it's now $7.25 due to inflation 

John