2. tech-talk
  3. 182948-20253

Fremer's Single-leg panel is absolute tweak bs

So a few months ago a video appears on Youtube with Michael Fremer and some electrical contractors installing a custom electrical service and extravagant ground rod array.

OK, but the one thing about it that’s absolute unnecessary tweaky BS is the idea of running a single leg to a sub panel, as well as only using one leg for the audio equipment in it. Who ever thought this was a good idea? It isn’t.

If you really want to get as high-end tweaky as you can this is the absolute wrong way. Run 6 gauge or larger to a sub pane.  In that sub panel you locate a 220V to 120V step down transformer and keep everything balanced all the way to the outlets. That is the best of all worlds.  High noise rejection, meets code, balanced current draw from both legs and extremely low voltage drop from the utility pole to the outlets.

Another good alternative is to run 220V to a wall outlet, and use a high quality step down transformer there. A 220V/30A circuit becomes 60A at 120V output. Running high voltage as close to the outlets as possible doubles your wire gauge effectiveness.

 

 

erik_squires

Showing 1 response by tonywinga

tonywinga's avatar
tonywinga
820 posts
 

I have two dedicated power lines to my stereo.  One goes to the two mono amps and one goes to the front end.  I had the two circuit breakers adjacent to each other in my breaker box, which means each one was on a different leg.  I took Kingrex’s advice and moved one breaker so that both dedicated lines are on the same leg.  The stereo sounds better now.  (The white wires and ground wires from each circuit are adjacent to each other on their respective ground busses. Ie. I want the ground wires as close together as possible.)  I’m using 10AWG wire and audio grade outlets.

I wonder if the stereo sounds better now because each leg (120 VAC) is out of phase with respect to the other and so now the amps, preamp and source are all on the same phase.

More to discover