Electrical question re dedicated line

Mitchb,

A dedicated line is one with no other devices on it. That's what you have, so long as you keep the other 3 outlets vacant. Save your money, or, if you're picky have the other 3 outlets removed and blank plates installed.

Peterd,

I once dealt with a guy whose job was investigating deaths by electrocution. He told me (from, ahem, experience) that separate ground rods can vary greatly in potential, especially during an electrical storm. It is a safety hazard to have some of your electrical appliances attached to a different ground source than the rest. Are you in a hurry to hear the stereo in heaven?
Furthermore, the NEC states that the ground conductor must be part of the same cable supplying the electrical box. In other words, you cannot run a 2 conductor cable for hot and neutral and a separate one for ground, but you can run 3 conductor Romex. If you have an electrical fire, good luck getting the insurance to pay for wiring that doesn't meet code.

I would recommend the following regardless of internal or external house wired:

1. Install one 20 amp dedicated line for your amp. There is a distinct possibility that the X250 draws more current than similarly powered amps. Marty DeWulf of Bound for Sound seems to think so regarding this amp. Regardless, any amp close to this current draw should have a 20 amp circuit/line so as not to potentially limit the current draw during demanding dynamic passages.

2. Install a 15 amp dedicated line for your digital source. A digital source injects much noise back into the line and will pollute any other component sharing the same line.

3. Install another 15 amp line for your preamp. Again, you do not want anything sharing the same line with your power amp. Just a small current draw of 35 watts (typical of a pre-amp) sharing the same line as the amplifier can be just enough to strip away and flatten the dynamics of demanding passages thereby potentially rendering the presentation rather lifeless.

4. Now that you have 3 dedicated lines, I'd recommend selling the multi-outlet PS500 and then purchase three dedicated passive line conditioners that have no practical current limitation of it's own and simply cleans up the AC.

5. Request that the electrician install all dedicated lines on the phase/leg that has the least amount of motorized appliances.

If you haven't already thought of it, you may as well have the electrician install some audio grade outlets while he's there.

-IMO

Sean maybe the best person to ask regarding dedicated lines, grounds, safety, etc. You can also check the archives for great information. IMO one of the larger benefits to a dedicated line is that the ground wire is not severed and shared between several outlets (regardless of what's connected to the other outlets) and you can use a hefty guage wire which will not restrict current. I use a double run of 12 guage wire to my 20amp breakers and this excedes code. I agree with everyone's opinion regarding dedicated outlets on the same leg. One thing I wouldn't do is go out and sell your P500 because you install a dedicated line but I'd consider installing atleast two dedicated lines, one for your amp & one for your front end. Also, If you're having dedicated lines installed I'd go with one more than you think you'll need because you may end up growing into the other. I had 3 lines installed and began using only two of them but grew into the third line. If I had four lines, I'd probably use all four at this point.

Alraul,Oh sorry I did make a mistake in my description.
Both grounds are connected as like a grid, but the new rod is the closest ground to my gear and a ground wire leads from it to the main house ground.
That way the grounds don't interact or cause one to be the primary ground and sacrificing the other.
Peter

Peterd,

You're on safe ground! :-) I almost mentioned the use of multiple (but connected) ground rods but figured it would just complicate things. I did the same thing--when the cable company stopped using their ground rod, I connected it to the real ground rod with 6 gauge (I think) wire.

Al