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Tech Talk Ground Loops Ground loop formation is a common problem in today’s electronic equipment installation where multiple devices and peripherals are connected to different power sources communicating through data lines or networks. What is Ground Loop?
According to the Telecommunications Industry Association
(TIA),
"Ground loop in an electrical system is an unwanted
current that flows in a conductor connecting two points
that are nominally at the same potential, i.e., ground,
but are actually at different potentials".*
This concept also explains how ground loops are created in audio/video systems which cause consistent humming or equipment failure when they are connected through shielded wiring.
One
of the most common effects of ground loops are
intermittent lockups of computers, point of sale (POS)
systems and Office Automation equipment. It often occurs
when a networked system and it's peripherals are plugged
into different electrical circuits/outlets, especially
in older buildings or facilities with ground wiring
problems.
Ground loops are usually not predictable and problems
typically arise after the equipment is installed. In
this scenario, the equipment malfunction is either
blamed on the installer or the equipment manufacturer
but neither is the actual culprit. Many factors can
cause formation of the ground loops but most often it is
a facility issue due to old or improper electrical
wiring in the building.
Smart Power Systems “Smart Ground”
patented technology eliminates the ground loop current
noise that are common in networked systems as well as
the audio/video installations. To completely protect
microprocessor-based equipment from ground loop problems
ensure that all the networked equipment and peripherals
are properly protected by a
transformer based filter
equipped with the Smart Ground circuitry.
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