Should I ground my Tice Powerblock / Titan Combo?

Well, they make them the way they are for a reason. I do not KNOW why, but i would NOT fool aroud unless I had a genuine knowledge of what i was actually doing. Instead of fooling around 'putz' style, wher maybe it 'should me this way or that because I 'guess so'
I am coming off as a hardass here. Sorry, Just don't change stuff, unless you have a GOOD reason.
"Don't fix what ain't broke" is my motto.
You COULD get in touch with the manufacturer and ask.

I found out that the Tice PowerBlock / Titan Combo isn't grounded at the input power cord end... Should I ground it? Any pros and cons?
Infinity_audio

isn't grounded at the input power cord end...

Can you be more specific? Cord is not a three wire cord? Ground pin on plug is missing? Power cord is 2 wire with a polarized 2 blade plug? What?

Is the Tice PowerBlock / Titan Combo an isolation transformer unit with grounding type electrical receptacles connected to the output?

Is the Tice PowerBlock / Titan Combo an isolation transformer unit with grounding type electrical receptacles connected to the output?

Infinity_audio,

If the answer is yes, then yes for safety the unit should be grounded. The metal case, if it has one, as well as the equipment ground contact on the grounding type receptacle/s should be connected to the safety equipment ground of the receptacle the Tice Powerblock / Titan Combo is plugged into.

If the unit has grounding type receptacles and was built without a three wire cord and plug or the ground contacts on the unit's receptacle/s were not connected to the equipment safety grounding conductor of the power cord that would indicate the unit is not UL and or CSA tested and approved.

Hey Kingsley,

Hang on. I WILL have a definitive answer for your today. I have a Power Block/Titan, and a Power Block II/Titan, and..... some original literature, newsletters, and a service bulletin.

Let me look through them and get back to you in a bit.

But the short answer is that the grounds are lifted.

Bruce

Kinsley, et. al.,

Since the early 90's grounded wall plugs have been required in all new construction.

From Wikipedia; AC is the form in which electric power is delivered to businesses and ...Westinghouse Early AC System 1887 (US patent 373035).

So, for the first 100 years or so there was NO ground requirement in US homes.

In the early days of audio (for me, 60's and 70's) we did not have a problem with ground interaction, and ground loops, whether with audible hum, or without the hum, but just screwing up the quality of the sound system.

The first Power Block became available in 1987 and was sent out with grounding. A three wire with ground was standard. The ground wire was wired to one of the tabs/feet on the transformer and on to the ground terminals of the three duplex outlets.

I have Tice Audio Products Inc. Service Bulletin #1, dated March 4, 1988 (before the building codes requiring grounding) for serial numbers 122001 - 122046.
The instructions recommended removal of grounds and one of the 3.3 uf capacitors.

The result is indicated as; improved sound ie: cleaner lower midrange.

The green ground from the power cord in to be clipped and the "tie wrapped" to the two wires that come from the transformer to the outlets. All the rest of the ground wires are to be clipped off.

I am not going to take the time to look, but I believe that later George recommended re-establishing the grounds. I would guess that recommendation was based on keeping his butt covered legally.

The case of the Tice Power Block and the Titan is made of 1/4" ABS, and therefore non-conductive.
Hope that helps.

Bruce