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Grounding on a wooden chassis

PostPosted: Mon Jun 15, 2015 7:35 am
by Ludwig
I recently purchased a wooden chassis with two metal plates for my Clem build.

The top plate (on which the tubes and the transformers sit) is metal, along with the rear plate (on which the speaker binding posts and input RCA jacks sit). Everything else is wood.

Is it best to have the star grounding point on the rear metal panel, or on the top plate?

Re: Grounding on a wooden chassis

PostPosted: Mon Jun 15, 2015 9:05 am
by EWBrown
The star ground should be on the top plate, just ground the rear plate to the "star" point on the top plate.

HTH

/ed B

Re: Grounding on a wooden chassis

PostPosted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 3:07 pm
by Ludwig
Ok thanks.

And re the IEC socket earth pin? I've read that it is best to ground it as close as possible to the IEC socket. This would mean grounding it on the rear plate. Is it best to then drill another hole in the rear plate, put a bolt and then connect it to the top plate with a wire link? I do notice that some people connect the earth (house) ground pin to the circuit ground by some kind of sequence of diodes &/or capacitors, why is this done?

Re: Grounding on a wooden chassis

PostPosted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 6:54 am
by Shannon Parks
Have the safety ground lug on the top plate. You want any transformer leakage currents with a low return path. Ed's advice is spot on.

Shannon

Re: Grounding on a wooden chassis

PostPosted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 8:14 am
by EWBrown
I normally use one of the power transformer mounting screws as the star grounding and safety ground common point. Saves drilling one extra hole.

/ed B