Skip to main content
Electrical Engineering

Return to Answer

Added clarification and examples.
Source Link
Langdon
Langdon
  • 21
  • 3

MostNot everything necessarily needs to actually be electrically connected to earth.

Ground loops can be problematic.

For example, most audio amplifiers are not grounded to earth through a grounding prong.

However, all the different electronics are all connectedaudio equipment connects to each other.

All the same "ground"; all the chassises share a common "ground reference".

Turntables always need to be connected to the ground screw of the amplifier to prevent interference. However, but in most cases, the amplifier is not actually connected to earth.

If you have a ton of chassises connected to each other electrically, or one huge chassis, the impendance to ground via the environment is can be pretty low.

After all, a car has no ground screw, but works as a ground; that's how the radio manages to work.

Most audio amplifiers are not grounded to earth through a grounding prong.

However, all the different electronics are all connected to each other.

All the chassises share a common "ground reference".

Turntables always need to be connected to the ground screw of the amplifier to prevent interference. However, in most cases, the amplifier is not actually connected to earth.

Not everything necessarily needs to actually be electrically connected to earth.

Ground loops can be problematic.

For example, most audio amplifiers are not grounded to earth through a grounding prong.

However, all the audio equipment connects to the same "ground"; all the chassises share a common "ground reference".

Turntables always need to be connected to the ground screw of the amplifier to prevent interference, but in most cases, the amplifier is not actually connected to earth.

If you have a ton of chassises connected to each other electrically, or one huge chassis, the impendance to ground via the environment is can be pretty low.

After all, a car has no ground screw, but works as a ground; that's how the radio manages to work.

Removed potentially inaccurate information.
Source Link
Langdon
Langdon
  • 21
  • 3

Most audio amplifiers are not grounded to earth through a grounding prong.

However, all the different electronics are all connected to each other.

All the chassises share a common "ground reference".

Turntables always need to be connected to the ground screw of the amplifier to prevent interference. However, in most cases, the amplifier is not actually connected to earth.

Any object with sufficient mass (heavy steel chassis) can function almost like earth ground.

Source: get a heavy old-school solid iron (the type you heat up on a wood stove), or another very heavy mtal object and touch it to an old-school CRT TV; there will be a spark as the electrons jump toward the lage mass of the iron.

Most audio amplifiers are not grounded to earth through a grounding prong.

However, all the different electronics are all connected to each other.

All the chassises share a common "ground reference".

Turntables always need to be connected to the ground screw of the amplifier to prevent interference. However, in most cases, the amplifier is not actually connected to earth.

Any object with sufficient mass (heavy steel chassis) can function almost like earth ground.

Source: get a heavy old-school solid iron (the type you heat up on a wood stove), or another very heavy mtal object and touch it to an old-school CRT TV; there will be a spark as the electrons jump toward the lage mass of the iron.

Most audio amplifiers are not grounded to earth through a grounding prong.

However, all the different electronics are all connected to each other.

All the chassises share a common "ground reference".

Turntables always need to be connected to the ground screw of the amplifier to prevent interference. However, in most cases, the amplifier is not actually connected to earth.

Source Link
Langdon
Langdon
  • 21
  • 3

Most audio amplifiers are not grounded to earth through a grounding prong.

However, all the different electronics are all connected to each other.

All the chassises share a common "ground reference".

Turntables always need to be connected to the ground screw of the amplifier to prevent interference. However, in most cases, the amplifier is not actually connected to earth.

Any object with sufficient mass (heavy steel chassis) can function almost like earth ground.

Source: get a heavy old-school solid iron (the type you heat up on a wood stove), or another very heavy mtal object and touch it to an old-school CRT TV; there will be a spark as the electrons jump toward the lage mass of the iron.