Should I ground my Tice Powerblock / Titan Combo?

Just to throw another monkey wrench into the mix.... If the above example in my last post were to happen there is a good chance equipment could be damaged. A lot of audio equipment designer/manufactures connect the signal ground to the chassis/case of the equipment. If the faulted equipment is connected together by ICs then a short circuit will exist hopefully causing fuses within the equipment to blow.... Hopefully before any damage to the electronics of the audio equipment.

You can have your cake and eat it too.

You can have ALL your grounds AND improved sound, but it just might cost an arm and a leg.

Check out this July 2009 Dagogo review by Norm Luttbug. It does touch upon the evils and a solution for multiple grounds.

http://www.tripointaudio.us/REVIEWS.htm

Bruce

Help,

I live in an apt with no ground (built in the 40's). I just picked up a Tice Elite 3. I have an Rotel RSP1098, 2 SAE A202 amps, Rotel DVD player, tuner, etc to run off the Tice. Got it with no manual.. have no idea how to set the switches, what to do about the no ground etc etc.. HELP. thanks!

I live in an apt with no ground (built in the 40's).
10-06-10: Rotelmania

Multi story apt building? Good chance the electrical branch circuit wiring is installed in metallic conduit.

If you have a multi meter you can check it out.
*pull the receptacle outlet cover plate.
*Set the meter to AC volts.
*Insert one test probe in the screw hole that holds on the receptacle outlet cover plate. Or touch it to the one of the screws that holds the receptacle to the metal rough-in box.
*Insert the other test probe in the hot contact hole of the receptacle. Don't know which one is the hot one? Try both.

Meter should read 120Vac nominal....

If it does you have an equipment ground. How good of a ground? That depends on the integrity of all the fitting connections from the receptacle metal box all the way back to the electrical panel.

Hire an electrician he can test the ground conductivity by putting a temporary load across the hot conductor and the metal receptacle box. He will then check for voltage drop across the temporary load.

Have a new grounding type receptacle ready for the electrician to install if the equipment ground checks out ok.....
.

Jea48 THANKS!! Really appreciate the help. I know how to work a multi-meter but, not an EE major so... most appreciative!!

Ok, well, this should be interesting.. it was for me at least.

the wires are PAPER wraped with what looks like thick string (but with the characteristics of paper) :( talk about brittle.. look at it funny and it crumbles.. Have no idea how that works. What I looked at crumbled on me and I had to wrap it with electrical tape to cover it up. Old screw in style fuses etc. (I'm upping my renters insurance for replacement value on everything tomorrow!! :))

to your test.
You are right about some kind of ground.. weather the outlets are simply tying the ground and the neutral or, they are grounding through a metal conduit.. I don't know. what I see coming in the box is paper wrapped wire.. cant speak for whats behind the box in the wall. I didnt see a ground/neutral tie so, must be a metal conduit ground ??

OUTLET 1: has 120 between hot and ground good sign
OUTLET 2: has 84v between hot and ground :/ not sure what that means
OUTLET 3: has 1.3v between hot and ground ahhhh what now
OUTLET 4: in bathroom has 120v between hot and ground. good

wow, well, my Triplite Isobar on the TV is getting a good ground. But, my stereo is all tied in to the outlet with 1.3v to ground. (I have nothing in the outlet with 84v to ground)

Now, This may not matter as... NONE of my stereo equipment has a 3 prong plug! both amps/preamp/tuner... all 2 prong.

BUT.. my TICE ELITE 3 does have the 3 prongs. what happens if I plug this in and it gets a 1.3v ground? will I pop the Tice? Or is this not a big deal?

THANKS!!

Steve