Annoying Hum when there is no content

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

Since my receiver isn't selling, I have decided to try to fix whatever is wrong with it.

When there is no content playing, it makes an annoying hum like with ground loop in car audio. However, in car audio you can try different grounding positions to reduce the noise.

How does one do this in home audio? Where else can i ground to besides the outlet?

Is there a list of things I could check to see what may help reduce the noise?

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[azimuth 5,000+ posts]

Since my receiver isn't selling, I have decided to try to fix whatever is wrong with it.

When there is no content playing, it makes an annoying hum like with ground loop in car audio. However, in car audio you can try different grounding positions to reduce the noise.

How does one do this in home audio? Where else can i ground to besides the outlet?

Is there a list of things I could check to see what may help reduce the noise?

i'm not sure to be honest. what i do know is that just because you have a 3 pronged outlet, doesn't mean anyone actually ran a ground to that 3rd prong. maybe worth a shot.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

I may check that out. Any idea on what I should be looking for? I am thinking of trying these ground loop isolators from car audio and see what happens then. The noise isn't as bad when the source is radio...mainly all other sources

 

[rollerdj 10+ year member]

maybe make sure your ground is actully hooked up? i know a few circuts in my house didn't have a ground when i moved in.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

I will take some pics the best I can on the back of the plug. Give me a second.

 

[azimuth 5,000+ posts]

I may check that out. Any idea on what I should be looking for? I am thinking of trying these ground loop isolators from car audio and see what happens then. The noise isn't as bad when the source is radio...mainly all other sources

pull the outlet and check if there is a wire hooked up to the 3rd prong. usually green wire into the green screw.

 

[rollerdj 10+ year member]

well, the problem might be that it was never hooked up in the breaker panel. u might try to take it to a differnt room and try it there. hopfully you don't have a bunch of bad grounds. i think outa the 6 rooms in my place, there where 3 outlets with bad grounds. most of them where due to old old receps with bad grounds in the receps them selfs

 

[azimuth 5,000+ posts]

well, the problem might be that it was never hooked up in the breaker panel. u might try to take it to a differnt room and try it there. hopfully you don't have a bunch of bad grounds. i think outa the 6 rooms in my place, there where 3 outlets with bad grounds. most of them where due to old old receps with bad grounds in the receps them selfs

which wire are you referring to? they ran the green wire all the way back to the breaker box?

 

[rollerdj 10+ year member]

they shoulda. but there are some pretty halfassed electritions out there too.

 

[Flipx99 5,000+ posts]

I just checked. It looked like there was a 14/2 going in and a 14/2 going out. There where two gold screws on the side...

Where do if it looks like I need to add a ground, what do I ground it to? I don't have a frame like you would in a truck.

 

[azimuth 5,000+ posts]

I just checked. It looked like there was a 14/2 going in and a 14/2 going out. There where two gold screws on the side...
Where do if it looks like I need to add a ground, what do I ground it to? I don't have a frame like you would in a truck.

there should be a silver on 1 side, a gold on 1 side and a single green screw. the green is the ground. white to silver, black to gold, green to green

 

[rollerdj 10+ year member]

well, is it EMT, Romex, MC???? if it's romex your screwed. MC and EMT u can work with.

 

[rollerdj 10+ year member]

there should be a silver on 1 side, a gold on 1 side and a single green screw. the green is the ground. white to silver, black to gold, green to green

14/2 has no ground.

 

[azimuth 5,000+ posts]

they shoulda. but there are some pretty halfassed electritions out there too.

it's very rare to run the safety ground all the way back to the box in older homes. most are grounded directly in the fixture itself, even in alot of newer homes. copper is expensive.

 

[rollerdj 10+ year member]

if u have EMT or MC, (witch i doubt) all u need to do is put a ground wire from the green scew on the recept to the metal box. how old is your house?