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HELP I think I have an electrical issue??

A few months ago I had 2 20amp dedicated lines with hospital grade duplex's installed. All was well with my Bel Canto Ref1000 mono's. Well a few days ago I just got a pair of Genesis m60 tube amps. I was noticing a clicking noise coming through my speakers. I first noticed this when I was just warming up the amps with no source on. Then I also noticed the clicking when a source was on with music playing.

So it turns out that the clicking noise is my electric ignition of my gas furnace, is somehow playing through my speakers (Or maybe its just one of them, not exactly sure yet) This is a very strange and annoying. If anyone has any ideas please let me know!

Tim
tmesselt

Showing 6 responses by sns

sns
3,003 posts
 
Strange that you didn't hear this with the prior amps.

I had exactly the same furnace ignition 'click' with my dedicated circuits. It is the grounds which are contaminated, they feed household garbage through the ground.

The only cure that I know of is dedicated ground for the dedicated circuit. Be aware this can be dangerous in lightning storms as ground potential differs between whole house ground and dedicated ground. Maybe lifting ground on amps will solve as well.
sns
3,003 posts
 
Cables are not going to fix this issue, picking up RFI from the furnace is the longest of long shots, and they didn't do it with the other amp, should tell you something. Ground potential is somehow different with new amps, I don't know why.

I can just about guarantee you, lift the ground on dedicated circuits at AC receptacle, noise will stop and your system will take a nice leap forward. Also be aware this is dangerous, only a temporary means to determine the ground is indeed the problem.
sns
3,003 posts
 
Jea, I can only go by my experience, exactly the same problem, dedicated ground fixed it and a nice sonic boost to match.

I'm also not saying it can't be RFI, just a long, long shot. He didn't have the problem with the other amps and same cable, points to amps as problem. It could be the other amps did a better job of filtering out EMI and RFI.

I just think dedicated grounds are the resolution to all these sorts of problems, I'm not alone, many are using dedicated grounds.
sns
3,003 posts
 
I can also understand why lifting the grounds on amps has no effect. I surmise the garbage is riding on grounds through rest of system. Was always there, other amps may have had better filtering or ground potential has changed. Again, lifting the grounds temporarily at AC outlets will tell if grounds are the issue. Everything is just speculation until this probability is eliminated.
sns
3,003 posts
 
A balanced transformer didn't eliminate my problem, I do agree it eliminates a lot of garbage riding on lines.

A transformer and balanced cables may or may not do the trick for Tmmesselt.
sns
3,003 posts
 
Your best bet, do all the above! I've done everything but the balanced cable (too much SE equipment I love), clean AC is quite an advance in sonics.

Also, if not previously mentioned, make sure you have a good solid house ground.
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