KG6_Steven

Even with a GFCI installed on a circuit, your ground should not be reading as open. The ground still goes back to the electrical panel. All the GFCI is doing is looking for leakage current and interrupting the circuit if it detects it. The open ground isn't your problem, although it is a problem. Having an electrician come out is a step in the right direction to solving your power issues.

For the record, voltage sags are just as bad as surges. Both stress power supplies and other components.

ToneMasterDelux

So what I took from this is to hire a damn electrician and to keep power clean. Is there any good budget power conditioners (or something that would prevent damage from power dips)?

I read you can use computer protectors for cheaper. Suggestions?

gumbilicious

dunno about cheap, i use a couple furman PL-8C's. i wanna say they have some cheaper strip style conditioners.

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KG6_Steven

As I mentioned earlier, the cheaper power conditioners really don't do anything more than provide some surge protection and, if you're lucky, maybe some EMI/RFI filtering. A conditioner like my AR-PRO is big dollar Charlie, but my power at the wall can drop down to 88 volts and I still get 120 volts at my Eventide Harmonizer and other gear. The AR-PRO also has surge protection and EMI/RFI filtering. The AR-PRO uses a multi-tap torroidal transformer to buck or boost the voltage to 122 volts. I also have a large UPS plugged into it. The UPS supplies power to my DAW PC and a couple of other items.

Not sure what your definition of cheap is, but these days, you can find used AR-PRO conditioners on eBay for around $500. That sure beats their new price, which was like buying a used car.

ToneMasterDelux

Shoot, that's not a terrible price and it would probably benefit in the long run. I just want to take every precaution now.

So I am guessing budget computer power sag protectors like the APC LE1200 don't really do much to protect at all... right?

KG6_Steven

That's a fairly cheap unit. My concern with that item is this - while it will regulate the voltage, it's using a battery to do so. Compare that with my Furman AR-PRO, which uses a large multi-tap transformer to step up/down the voltage. If your power is bad enough and the APC is constantly kicking in to stabilize the power, it won't take long before the battery is exhausted and incapable to supplying power to the converter section of the LE1200. When that happen, whatever is connected to it will either experience the sag/surge of the raw power, or power down.

As I mentioned earlier, the other problem is that the LE1200 will not provide pure sine wave AC. If you had access to an oscilloscope and could view the power at your wall outlet as a signal on a screen, you'd see that it's a sine wave. Most of the cheaper APC units produce square wave AC, or modified square wave AC. Don't know if you're familiar with sine and square waves, but there are some electronic items that do not work well with square wave AC. In fact, some items can be damaged by it, or run hotter than normal.

If you have the budget for it, I'd really recommend picking up a used Furman AR-PRO. It's going to be the best solution.

GeetarHeero

Dayum, this thread got morbid fast

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311ZOSOVHJH

Did someone die?

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GeetarHeero

Not yet

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Blktiger0

*BANG!*

OOOH! HE GOT ME!

*dramatic fall to the ground, followed by excessive bleeding*

Coooooome closer....

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GeetarHeero

Well now someone has, or soon will it seems.

TS, let us know what the issues were once you've got this whole thing sorted. I'm really curious to see what would be up with the power to be doing what you described. Also just out of curiosity, why didn't the landlord handle calling the electrician and all? Im jw

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ToneMasterDelux

Will do, the landlord doesn't handle it because it is rented through work and part of benefits or something, I guess I'm not really sure why...

GeetarHeero

Ah, that blows. Hope it all works out, and with no one gettin zapped

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