Hi Soundsvision,
Glad to hear it seems to have been (largely) solved. i will remember that one. |
As another New Yorker I am also interested in this question. I recently moved to a new apartment and have found the power to be very noisy compared to my last apartment a couple blocks away. My amp (almarro 205) gets hum, it gets radio (an oldies station as it so happens). It also picks up occasional racket that sounds to me like cell phone interference.
Before signing a lease, I checked the water pressure but no one told me to listen to the electricity! Live and learn.
This is all apparent when I crank the volume or listen on headphones. Less apparent at normal listening levels but faintly present when no music is playing.
I've tried turning off all the breakers except where I plug in the electronics (which is a circuit intended for a window AC unit). So no dimmers, no internet, nothing but dedicated power into the amp + source. Same noise.
I've also tried taking entire system off ground loop with cheater plug, same crap. Anyone think I should try the Pole Pig and other power conditioner treatments, or just accept this as another compromise of manhattan life? |
Did you find out if the neighbors get this same interference too. |
Any dimmer switches? Those will always cause havoc! |
I guess anything is possible. I never lived by one. Your neighbors should have the same problem on some of their TVs too, I would think. |
Okay, so far after testing everything, it turns out it was a light switch in the bedroom, it wasn't grounded and was connected with cheap wiring, so the switch has been changed and it made a major improvement, however, there is still slight interference and that I can not pin point. The electrician who I used said that it may be that I live too close to the train station, meaning that the trains current may be affecting everyone's lines. I am not sure if that makes sense at all...
Any other suggestions? |
Interesting thread, what happened? |
try disconnecting your cable internet. If solves the problem, use a ground isolation xfrmr, available from Rat Shack (cheap) or Jwnawn (more expensive) but still not too bad). |
Hi, I don't have cable but do have Internet via the cable company. I have HD antennas connected to both TV's. The interference happens all the time, even when I am playing a DVD or am using my apple TV's.
Tomorrow I will change the ground wire connected to the outlets to see if that may help, I will also change out the light switches that have the orange night light on them.
My concern is that it's happening in both the bedroom and living room, I am also going to check to see if it is happening in any other room, I am going to connect a tv in one of the kids room to see if it is happening there as well.
Couldn't be the breaker box? Both the living room and bedroom are on different breakers.
I just can't figure it out, so hopefully this will help.. |
it could even someone else's router for their cable TV internet leaking through the building, and drop amp. Some people stream stuff all day. Where I put router, it should say cable internet modem. |
There are no dimmers in the house but there are some light switches that are lighted. Meaning the switch itself lights on when the light itself is off.
If these are the ones that glow amber/orange to find it in the dark, I've never seen one of these type of switch give a problem. While on, they can become defective just like any other switch. But not normally a problem when in off position, and just glowing. |
You don't mention whether you have cable TV. If you do, they may find the problem. Also, if it's a single drop for the building, it could even someone else's router for their cable TV internet leaking through the building, and drop amp. Some people stream stuff all day. This would show up more with analog cable. Digital cable may not have this problem. TOO many unknowns. |
I forgot, if disconnecting it from cable helps, try a ground loop idolater. Some people may have better brands to try. This won't solve a problem if you have faulty wiring, just a ground loop problem. Link [http://www.markertek.com/Video-Equipment/Video-Processors/Video-Noise-Hum-Elimination/Jensen-Transformers/VRD-1FF.xhtml] |
Try playing a DVD or a Blu Ray while the cable companies cable is disconnected at the wall. |
Also, if your running Cable TV, try the set with an antenna (if close to the city). If the noise doesn't happen when on the antenna, there could be a poor connection in the cable, or the AC electrical ground and neutral bonding.
If there is actually a bad AC power ground/neutral connection, your place can be grounding through the cable TV wire. This can be dangerous too.
A boiler, furnace, can cause interference.
If a light switch is turned on, and doing nothing, why can't you turn it off?
Check the real estate laws. A lot of states have disclosure laws. If there was a known problem, the previous owner may be responsible.
Maybe an electrician will post with ideas. |
There could be a sump pump, a fire escape light, or something else always running. Shutting one circuit (breaker/fuse) off at a time may help. Then if it stops, see what is on there.
I guess at $4K a day, maybe I should have become an electrician there. |
Hi, thanks for the responses, I check with the owner of the first floor apartment who is on the same line as myself, and he does not have this problem, all of the other apartments on my line are empty besides myself and the first floor.
There are no dimmers in the house but there are some light switches that are lighted. Meaning the switch itself lights on when the light itself is off.
Do you think it can be that? There are also ceiling fans in all the rooms? I spoke with the president of the building and she said the previous owner used cheap unlicensed eletricians to do the work.
Now I spoke with a licensed electrician and the price he gave me to check and find the problem is really high, 4k high....
So now I don't know what to do. |
Start with your neighbors. Does anyone else have the problem? If it is electrical, they presumably would have the same problem if they are on the same panel as you.
they may also have solved the problem. Ask the doorman...he may know what the prior occupier did.
Is this the same kind of lines that can occur if someone plugs in a vacuum cleaner and starts using it? |
... He also mentioned that it may be interference from another outlet that isn't connected properly such as a light switch...
Any light dimmers in the apartment?
Rich
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