Annoying , Slight Ground Loop

wingnut4772

I have a ground loop issue. It is really very slight though. I have to put my ear to the speakers to hear it. Is that acceptable , normal or common? I can't seem to isolate it.

bencorn

I had a really bad ground loop when I put my new subwoofer in. I tried the ground loop isolators and multiple other tricks I'd read about online. The only thing I found that worked was to use a 2 prong power cord for the sub instead of 3 prong, ground loop gone. Best way to find it is to unplug your equipment and start with just the bare essentials and keep adding equipment until the hum starts. Start with just the receiver and speakers with nothing else, if it hums it's the receiver causing an issue. If nothing add another piece of equipment and so forth. I got lucky and I unplugged the sub first and the sound disappeared so I knew it was the culprit.

helipilotdoug

I had the same kind of problem some time ago. With my hum, found that the TV in the bedroom being plugged into a 3 prong socket was the problem. It was feeding through the sat. receiver in the bedroom, through the coax, and back into the sat receiver in the main system. When I first started looking for the problem, was looking in the main system. Found disconnecting the incoming coax from the sat antenna to the receiver made the hum go away. Tried everything I could think of to remedy the situation with no success. Then quite by accident, was changing something out in the bedroom, and discovered where the hum was coming from. Ground loops can be a PITA! Best of luck finding and getting rid of yours.

Thorton

I had a good hum when I added my amp. I followed the detective role procedure that bencorn outlined to identify the amp as the culprit. I tried a cheater plug (suggested in many threads) that did solve the problem. I eventually bought a Ebtech HumX to replace the cheater plug. Problem gone. Good luck!

cnh

Have to agree with some of the guys above. When I first got my Nak CA-5 pre-amp and plugged her in--ground loop hum. Big time! Of course all that equipment is close to cable boxes and TV, etc. So out came the CHEATER plug (3 prong to 2)--problem solved!

Hope it's that easy for you!

cnh

tonyb

Actually Darla, I'm kinda surprised given your gear list over the years, you haven't experienced ground loops more often. Even the slightest hum would bug me to no end. If your not using a good power conditioner, a cheater plug as mentioned above would also work but you may need to try it on a few different pieces. I always start with the receiver, then the amps, and source last.

GlennDog

cnh wrote: »

So out came the CHEATER plug (3 prong to 2)--problem solved!cnh

I've had HUM issues in the past and what solved my problem (then) was to use a Tributaries Ground Guard . . .

Wouldn't removing the ground (with the cheater) be akin to playing Russian Roulette with your equipment? (like if there were "ground issues, like a lightning strike etc" . . . just a thought . . .

G

20hz

That sounds like my cheater plug on the amp may be a bad idea , what about a seperate ground ?
All foundations have a piece of rebar sticking out under the house what if you just grounded that humming item to it ?
And used a surge protector of coarse , that way it gets ground ( a surge protector only works with one ) . I am thinking since rca's get a common ground it may not work but it worth a try ?

GlennDog wrote: »

I've had HUM issues in the past and what solved my problem (then) was to use a Tributaries Ground Guard . . .

Wouldn't removing the ground (with the cheater) be akin to playing Russian Roulette with your equipment? (like if there were "ground issues, like a lightning strike etc" . . . just a thought . . .

G