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Topic: 60 cycle hum but only in my house |
Dave Hall
From:
Missouri, USA
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 1:05 pm |
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| I have a bad case of hum when I plug in any amp & any guitar combination in my home. When I take my Carter elsewhere it sounds great, totally quiet. I have checked outlets with device from Lowes and all show correctly wired. If I unplug the Dig. Recorder from cable company the hum is reduced to about half. Any other ideas? |
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Ian Sutton
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 1:32 pm
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Unfortunately, it could be anything really.
Could be dirty power coming from the street, a ground loop in your house or music room, RFI from just about anywhere.
I'm sure someone with more electrical knowledge will chime in, but from my own experience, it's tail-chaser for sure.
_________________
Some gear. |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 2:13 pm
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The number-one culprits are cheap incandescent lamp dimmers. These produce tons of RF interference that seeps into the house wiring, but also "broadcasts" directly from the dimmer units. Other big offenders: neon lights, florescent lamps, aquarium lights and heaters, computers, and CRT monitors and TV sets. Often, you can move or turn the guitar slightly, and the noise will change. Pro electricians have detectors that can "sniff out" the offending apparatus, and they're used commonly whenever a studio or critical test area is set up.
Humbuckers will stop 98% of the noise that isn't coming through the wiring, or caused by ground-loops. |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 2:15 pm
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60 cycle hum is usually a magnetic wave. Single coil pickups are sepecially susceptable.
Do you have a large transfomer somewhere in the local?
Rotate your steel 30degs at a time and see if it reduces at some angle. If it doesn't, it's not a magnetic wave. |
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Henry Matthews
From:
Texarkana, Ark USA
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 2:35 pm
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Loose or improper connected ground in your house somewhere. I have same problem down at our Opry House but finally got it fixed and was a loose ground causing problem.
_________________
Henry Matthews
D-10 Magnum, 8 &5, dark rose color
D-10 1974 Emmons cut tail, fat back,rosewood, 8&5
Nashville 112 amp, Fishman Loudbox Performer amp, Hilton pedal, Goodrich pedal,BJS bar, Kyser picks, Live steel Strings. No effects, doodads or stomp boxes. |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 2:53 pm
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| Do you live in an old house without the 3rd wire ground? |
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Eric Philippsen
From:
Central Florida USA
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 3:21 pm
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As it's been said..........dimmer switches. #1 culprit.
The darn things can be turned full on and still cause interference. Bars and clubs are notorious for using the things to lower their lighting. In the house? Most people think they're convenient and nice when first installed. Then, after awhile, they rarely use them. Get rid of 'em. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 3:44 pm
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What if there are no dimmer switches in the house?
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Dave Simonis
From:
Stevens Point, WI USA
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 6:55 pm
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I had real bad line noise from under-cabinet lighting with a dimmer (sometimes people have these in display cases, built-in shelving, curio cabinets, entertainment centers)...the kind where you touch a hinge or a small round pad and the lights turn on and go through several brightness levels. The dimmer the setting, the louder the line noise.
BTW - The dimmer switch in my dining room (which I first suspected), makes zero noise.
_________________
Dave Simonis
Fiddle: Zeta, Arthur Conner, many others.../Steel: GFI SD-10 Ultra.../Mandolin: Breedlove.../Guitar: Gibson, Fender, Taylor.../Amps: Peavey NV112, Evans FET 500.../Others: Hilton, Goodrich, Stereo Steel, Pendulum Pre-amp... |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 7:05 pm
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Check ALL grounds...
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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George Kimery
From:
Limestone, TN, USA
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 8:45 pm 60 cycle hum but only in my house
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I live in my parents old house and it is wired with two wires, not three. The house has no dimmer switches or fluorscent lights.
I am always having 60 cycle hum problems. My latest problem was just yesterday. I had my RV 3 and Black Box plugged into a Rack Rider power strip in my rack case. I had my Nashville 1000 plugged into another outlet, near the amp. Bad hum. I then plugged the amp into the Rack Rider power strip so that the amp, RV-3, and black box were all in the same power outlet strip. Hum went away, except for a little that I always have in this old house anyway.
So the amp had found another ground of some sort that was different than the ground that the Rack Rider strip had found. Result, was a ground loop.
So you might want to make sure that everything is plugged into the same power strip and if that doesn't help, try putting one of those 3 prong to 2 prong adapters on the amp only.
Good luck. I know what you are going through. I can never be sure when I get a new toy if it is bad or if it is the house wiring. I have to wait for the next gig to check it out for sure. |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 9:33 pm
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| Quote: |
So you might want to make sure that everything is plugged into the same power strip and if that doesn't help, try putting one of those 3 prong to 2 prong adapters on the amp only.
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At gig about 2 months or so ago, our guitar player's amp was buzzing pretty loud. This was a Fender tube amp. The sound man brought him a 3 to 2 grey adapter that had the wider prong filed down so both were the same width. By changing which way he plugged it in (changing polarity he says), the buzz would stop. He used it again on a gig last Friday. Isn't this what the ground switch on a Fender is supposed to do? I think I would be afraid of not having a ground. But, it really did work.
Forgot to say that the soundman said he had a ground loop caused by a harmonizer he has hooked up that his guitar and vocal mic plug into. I don't know much about that harmonizer.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 9:37 pm Sixty Cycle hum but only in my house.
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| Go to the Breaker box and see if the circuits are listed. If they are and you are plugged into a circuit on say the left side, Go to a room that the circuit is listed on the right side. Go right to left or left to right side of the circuit box so you get to the other side. This may be a cure. You have 2 complete 120 volt circuits coming into a house. When they are combined then you have 240 volts. Check the voltage in the outlets you are using. The pole transformer may have a short and voltage high or low. If the voltage is not right I would call the electric company to check their transformer and wiring coming to the house. Check the grounds on all places possible. Touch on and brighten lights do bad things to circuits also. Check the refrigerator, Unplug it and check your steel for noise. A self defrosting refrigerator has a clock (for defrost cycle) in it that could be part of the problem. Good Luck in finding the culprit. |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 20 Nov 2013 11:20 pm
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Switching from left to right might not move one from red to black: some boxes alternate rows.
While you have the panel open, you could check that all the white wires are tied to the ground wire (there'll be a bare wire that goes to a water pipe, or to a ground spike outside, or both.
A preliminary check, if you have a voltmeter, check for zero volts (or less than 1 or 2) between one prong of power and a metal water pipe.
If so (and it should be, even knob and tube was grounded), you could put a 3 prong outlet, tying the white wire to the ground lug (since you verified that white=ground back at the box. IF YOU CAN'T VERIFY THAT WHITE=GROUND, DO NOT TIE THEM).
If you don't feel comfortable playing with power (don't blame you, it can kill you), either live with the hum or call Sparky the electrician.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 21 Nov 2013 2:35 am
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Will it silence hum from dirty power?
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Peter Harris
From:
South Australia, Australia
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Posted 21 Nov 2013 2:59 am
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Sell the house and buy a few more steels.... 
_________________
If my wife is reading this, I don't have much stuff....really! |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 21 Nov 2013 3:47 am
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A thought on outlet strips / power conditioners...
There is a thing we practice in amateur radio called "single point grounding". A power strip or power conditioner in a rack accomplishes that when all 120V equipment is plugged into the strip, and the strip plugged in to a single outlet with a good ground.
Plugging equipment into separate outlets is a great way to cause a ground loop hum.
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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Lane Gray
From:
Topeka, KS
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Posted 21 Nov 2013 4:51 am
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Might not have an outlet with a good ground. I've seen some with inadequate ground (ground wire from box to water line disconnected at pipe, no spike).
Aaahhh, the joys of old rental property.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 21 Nov 2013 4:53 am
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There can be ground loop hum problems when everything is connected to the same power strip or outlet. A very common problem. I've seen it when I was working as an amp tech, and working with PC systems and other audio devices plugged into the same AC power strip.
Audio devices can develop ground loop hums with rack mounted equipment, all plugged into the same power strip in a rack, for example. There are even isolation tabs sold for this problem.
_________________
GFI Ultra Keyless S-10 with pad (Black of course) TB202 amp, Hilton VP, Steelers Choice sidekick seat
Cakewalk by Bandlab and Studio One V4.6 pro DAWs, MOTU Ultralite MK5 recording interface unit (for sale) |
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Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
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Posted 21 Nov 2013 9:18 am
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Two forms of interference.
1. Conducted - brought IN thru the ac power
The "ground loop" is a peculiar form of this, where there is no issue until the input signal is connected, but the cause is still the mains power line.
Also, noise in the mains power is not uncommon, especially if you live near an industrial area. I know there are "Federal" standards about this stuff but they don't always prevent the issue. For example, large phase controlled AC rectifiers on electroplating lines and injection molding machine heaters make mincemeat of the AC waveform for some distance back from the plant. (I know, 'cause at one time we were the source...)
2. Radiated - brought In thru the shielded input cord, due to electromagnetic fields inducing noise in the "unbalanced" cable circuit. Fluorescent tube ballast transformers can cause this.
Food for thought.... perhaps the most nasty meanest dirty no good rotten thing you can do to equipment connected to your home wiring is run a vacuum cleaner off the same circuit. I lost two PC motherboards over two years because my (now former) girlfriend would not listen to my request not to plug the vacuum cleaner into the same receptacle that fed the desktop computer. Those sparks you see between the brushes and armature of the motor create noise spikes that blow right thru switchmode power supplies.
For those with extra $$$ and no place to spend it, a SOLA or a TOPAZ 1KVA Constant Voltage Stabilized (CVS)transformer is a good investment. Plug it into the wall and then run all of your gear off of it.
_________________
Lawyers are done: Emmons SD-10, 3 Dekleys including a D10, NV400, and lots of effects units to cover my clams... |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 21 Nov 2013 10:00 am
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| Lane Gray wrote: |
| Will it(the E-H hum debugger,) silence hum from dirty power? |
I don't know. I only know the unit exists.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Niels Andrews
From:
Salinas, California, USA
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Posted 21 Nov 2013 10:41 am Humm Eliminator
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I built one from a video on You tube that works like a champ. It was easy to build and I bought what I needed at Orchard Supply and the diode at Radio Shack, it took me about ten minutes.
One note of caution is using those grey plugs, they have killed guitar players and more than once.
I have used mine on different amps and some nasty electrical sources, and it works like magic. If you search the subject here you will find the link.
_________________
Die with Memories. Not Dreams.
Good Stuff like Zum S-12, Wolfe Resoport
MSA SS-12, Telonics Combo. |
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Josh Yenne
From:
Sonoma California
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Posted 21 Nov 2013 11:36 am
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I have a Ebtech hum X.. but it won't kill regular 60 cycle hum.. just a ground loop sort of hum....
just dirty electricity would be the guess. |
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