View Single Post
Old 7-Oct-2012, 6:41 PM   #22
rabbit73
Retired A/V Tech
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: S.E. VA
Posts: 2,753
Equipment Leakage Current, Part 1

I agree that you should at least find a way to ground the coax for reasons of personal electrical safety. I use a grounding block that is connected to the electrical system ground with no. 10 copper wire.

The power supplies in equipment now are mostly switchmode power supplies (switchers) for reasons of efficiency. Switchers have more AC leakage current than the older transformer operated power supplies. All power supplies have some leakage current which puts a small voltage on the metal equipment case and coax shield even of equipment that is operating properly. When multiple pieces of equipment are connected together, these leakage currents add together which might be sufficent to be felt if you touch the case and a ground.

If the equipment becomes defective, you want the excessive current to go directly to ground and not through you.

I have had some personal experience with this problem and made some tests to figure it out:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1255983/vo...#post_18772087
Attached Images
File Type: jpg CECB calib setup 2.jpg (96.2 KB, 1959 views)
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Leakage Current Tests.pdf (87.7 KB, 2185 views)
__________________
If you can not measure it, you can not improve it.
Lord Kelvin, 1883
http://www.megalithia.com/elect/aeri...ttpoorman.html

Last edited by rabbit73; 28-Nov-2012 at 12:17 AM.
rabbit73 is offline   Reply With Quote