Previous in Forum: Sizing of Drop Out Fuse   Next in Forum: Star Delta Motor Running Trouble
Close
Close
Close
3 comments
Rate Comments: Nested
Associate
Netherlands - Member - New Member Canada - Member - New Member

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 41
Good Answers: 2

Noise Reduction for AV installation

11/13/2010 10:45 AM

An AV consultant on one of our projects has requested a separete isolation transformer to power all his rack and room mounted equipment. This is a 8 story building and the equipment is scatttered trhoughout the facilty. We are using a 600 Volt distribution system that uses ZigZag transfomers at each floor to power 120Volt lighting and receptacles. All motor loads are connected to a separate distribution riser.We wil aslo be using a "Isolated Ground" system for all the AV equipmnet.

Question, would the ZigZag transformers at each floor level provide sufficient isolation to reduce the noise to acceptabel levels? (sorry, no specific noise levels were requested bythe AV consultant)

Anybody have any thoughts on this?

__________________
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use. Galileo Galilei
Register to Reply
Pathfinder Tags: AV isolation AV noise
Interested in this topic? By joining CR4 you can "subscribe" to
this discussion and receive notification when new comments are added.

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".
Guru
Canada - Member - If there is a way to screw someting up, there is someone to do so! Safety - Hazmat - New Member

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Iqaluit, NU. Canada
Posts: 1854
Good Answers: 140
#1

Re: Noise Reduction for AV installation

11/13/2010 11:58 AM

Is the 600 volt side a 3 wire delta system?

If there is a neutral on the high side, tying all of the separately derived systems together, as required by section 10 of the CEC, may move your noise from the secondary side to the primary.

The zigzag will lock triplen harmonic currents to the secondary side of the system but may not do a lot for the noise issues that would effect a AV system.

__________________
Joe Contractor to Electrical Inspector, "What do you mean you are going to make me follow the code?".
Register to Reply
3
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - Been there, done that. Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 15600
Good Answers: 981
#2

Re: Noise Reduction for AV installation

11/13/2010 12:41 PM

You may obtain a low enough electrical noise with your existing power distribution. You may not get enough noise immunity with the wrong isolation transformer installed at the correct location. While I have seen a poorly regulated power distribution network damage some under-designed audio equipment, I've never seen power grid noise enter an audio system via the power supply circuitry of the audio equipment. I suppose it could happen. What I have seen though is power grid transient noises entering an audio system through input wire coupling and direct microphone pickup of the sounds from the grid that don't get noticed until review of the recording. A frequent source of this acoustic coupling were earlier use of direct SCR dimmers on some halogen filament lamps on stage. The sharp turn ON frequencies of a dimmed circuit would make a quiet buzz in the filaments themselves on the stage. Often this would be so gradually happening that musicians or actors on stage would not hear this.

But you're in a slightly awkward position here. If you don't install the transformer your AV consultant will blame any noise heard as the lack of this transformer. If you supply a transformer only on the AV consultant's word you might violate building wiring code for your location. Consult with a local electrician if an isolation transformer can be installed in the AV rack itself and if the AV consultant would find that acceptable.

__________________
"Don't disturb my circles." translation of Archimedes last words
Register to Reply Good Answer (Score 3)
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - Ancient Weapon Enthusiast United States - US - Statue of Liberty - Viva la Revolucion!

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: In the dark, somewhere in Arizona
Posts: 632
Good Answers: 15
#3
In reply to #2

Re: Noise Reduction for AV installation

11/13/2010 11:22 PM

Isolating your A/V power now is well worth it if you don't want to listen to people complain about it for the next 20 years. The most common issue I experience is from noise in the ground line. This can cause very audible buzzing and can create waves in your video image. Dimming incandescent lighting is the biggest culprit we usually experience, but motors can also create noise issues.

Also be wary of running power lines parrallel to A/V transmission lines as the EM field of the power cable can create noise in this equipment as well, even if you are running shielded cables.

GA RedFred

__________________
Education is not preparation for life; life itself is education.
Register to Reply
Register to Reply 3 comments

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".
Copy to Clipboard

Users who posted comments:

hairlesssimian (1); North of 60 (1); redfred (1)

Previous in Forum: Sizing of Drop Out Fuse   Next in Forum: Star Delta Motor Running Trouble

Advertisement