Recommendations for power filter / isolation

[Wardsweb]

I'm looking for some form of AC isolation and/or filtering power system for my tube system in the living room. I can use both a plug in the wall unit or a hard wired one put between the main entrance panel and that specific outlet. Looking to clean up some hum I get at my house that doesn't show up at other people's houses.

 

[gonefishin]

Wards...just curious. Are you able to run a couple dedicated circuits?

 

[WildWest]

Interesting...I would be wondering about your homes main service and branch circuits. Something is up dude...I mean, if everything is correct you shouldn't have to install such things. Well that clinches it. I now clearly have to make a road trip to perform a service call eh?

 

[Wardsweb]

It's an old house. The power entrance panel is one box with a two dynamite looking fuses and a large double bayonet switch. The quad outlet for audio in the living room runs from the main switch to it's own panel with a 20 amp breaker, totally separate circuit from the house fuse box that is a series of screw in glass fuses. I have already sunk a 6 foot rod into the ground and attached the main panel ground to it via some solid copper buss wire (about 6awg).

Been thinking about having the whole entrance panel and fuse box replaced with new up todate units.

 

[Thatch_Ear]

Topaz made some huge mainfram isolation transformers that are quiet. 120 in and 120 out, weigh around 110 lbs. I wish I could find one. You need to do some networking and find some guys that replace mainframes. Maybe you can track some down.
I have a couple of large Solas and use one. They do buzz so I have it in the garage and it has it's own breaker that is wired to a heavy duty light switch on the wall in my living room.
Also you do not want to have your analog gear in the same circuit as your dig stuff. Those CDPs and DVDPs dump a lot of garbage into the line. I bought a smaller isolation transformer for them but haven't mounted it up yet.
I understand that you have to have a load on the tranformer before you turn it on.
One of the guys that goes to the Bottlehead meetings told me that a 220 to 110 step down transformer would be the best route.

 

[WildWest]

Ok I think I got what is wrong. Well, one thing anyway if I were to guess. So you double tapped the main fuse box to run a deticated load center for your audio. When you did this, did you run a insulated, isolated nuetral to this panel and separate the nuetral bar from the grounding bar

Also, you say you installed a six foot rod? Are you sure it is bonded to the nuetral at the main outside fuse switch? Also I would advise you to drive proper 8 foot rods. Two of them six feet apart. How do I know this you say? Well geeeepers, I am a licensed electrical contractor and have been at it for over a quarter of a century now. Does that qualify me? LOL

Bottom line if all is wired correctly and loads distributed properly you won't have any hum.

 

[Wardsweb]

Actually I didn't do it. It was done before I bought the house. It is a serious mess of stuff bolted to the side of my house. You have the power meter, main entrance fuse panel, separate panel for the washer and drier in the garage, separate panel for the AC unit and yet another separate panel for the the circuit I'm using for my audio (use to drive something in the garage).

Think I should hire someone to come rewire all this crap right? Any quesstimate to put in a new main entrance and 150-200 amp whole house service box? $1000? $2000? more?

 

[WildWest]

That's a big 10-4 there good buddy. I have seen those "train wreck" services that have evolved from a simple disconnect for a house fused sub panel to a maze of crap on the wall. A service upgrade is in order bud. Cost depends. If you can manage with a 100 amp all-in-one a guesstimate might be around 700 bucks. 200 amp service might run you 800 to 850. Is it an overhead utility feed or underground? Overhead I bet...

 

[Wardsweb]

Thanks for the confirmation. It has just move to the top of my gotta do list. BTW: it's overhead.

 

[WildWest]

If you ever want to call me I can really give you the scoop on what should be looked at and such. To make sure your licensed electrical contractor "covers the bases" for you.