How to solve grounding issue

corElement

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Hello. So when I use my amp or any other device I can feel the body slightly electricity resonating even when the device is off, as long as power cord is connected i can feel the electricity on the body. Is this due to grounding issue? How to fix?

thanks
 
Try reversing your mains power plug, if it's a 2 pin plug.

If you are using a 3 pin plug, verify that the live & neutral are not interchanged, at the wall socket.

Diagrams show the correct Pins for Live, Neutral & Eath, for Indian Plugs & Sockets.

Several Indian plugs also indicate the LIVE pin, by aa L embossed close to the pin.
 

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Try reversing your mains power plug, if it's a 2 pin plug.

If you are using a 3 pin plug, verify that the live & neutral are not interchanged, at the wall socket.

Diagrams show the correct Pins for Live, Neutral & Eath, for Indian Plugs & Sockets.

Several Indian plugs also indicate the LIVE pin, by aa L embossed close to the pin.

Does L& N switch affect the grounding ? i thought that is more of a Earht being at a higher voltage issue than L&N ?

of course since the fuse always needs to be on the L reversing might cause the equipment to protect the fuse than the other way around !.
 
Does L& N switch affect the grounding ? i thought that is more of a Earht being at a higher voltage issue than L&N ?

of course since the fuse always needs to be on the L reversing might cause the equipment to protect the fuse than the other way around !.
Yes, it is ABSOLUTELY Essential to maintain the correct connection to the Live Pin, for proper Grounding & Safety
 
Hello. So when I use my amp or any other device I can feel the body slightly electricity resonating even when the device is off, as long as power cord is connected i can feel the electricity on the body. Is this due to grounding issue? How to fix?

thanks
You can buy a polarity checker on amazon for under 1000 bucks. And when you insert it in your wall socket it will indicate via a series of LED's if the live, neutral and ground are wired right. Unfortunately I have very patchy Internet, otherwise I would have posted a link 😒
 
Hello. So when I use my amp or any other device I can feel the body slightly electricity resonating even when the device is off, as long as power cord is connected i can feel the electricity on the body. Is this due to grounding issue? How to fix?

thanks
When you say "use my amp or any other device", do you mean on the same wall outlet or any wall outlet?

I have this and it works very well:
 
Life and neutral interchange in 2-prong or 3-prong appliances does not matter too much, however with certain appliances like geyser etc. this can be critical and we often touch the water even when the geyser is on and any earth leakage can be catastrophic.
But in the house wiring it has to be correctly wired as it can be dangerous, especially while undertaking any electrical repairs.

All said, to maintain the norms with 3-prong connectors is ideal.

Apart, check with multimeter if there is any leakage current and if so, engage an electrician to sort out the problem.
 
Exactly, Get an electrician to check all your three wires, live, neutral and ground. There is certainly a leakage of live.

A simple method to ascertain that is to use that light screwdriver, “tester”. See if any other pins than live are lighting up slightly too.

I had this issue too and my AC mains wiring was messed up.
So ignoring the amp itself, inside the room itself theres an led light on the ceiling which stays slightly on even when its off. So its nothing to do with the amp. So would you call this leakage of live?
 
So ignoring the amp itself, inside the room itself theres an led light on the ceiling which stays slightly on even when its off. So its nothing to do with the amp. So would you call this leakage of live?
Not an expert here - but this does sound like an earthing/grounding issue.
 
With AC input (other than fuse position) , how will it really matter?
If it is a 2-prong connection and the enclosure (i.e. metal) of the equipment is electrically connected to neutral, then if L & N are reversed, the metal parts could give a shock on touching. Experts may please correct me if I am wrong.
 
So ignoring the amp itself, inside the room itself theres an led light on the ceiling which stays slightly on even when its off. So its nothing to do with the amp. So would you call this leakage of live?
Since your LED is on when switch is off the Live is not switched. You are switching off the N not L and the leakage keeps your LED on.

Could be the classical wire saving by the person who wired your house. Loop the L and switch the N.

Now if this is the case use a Line Tester to check the socket and if you see the Orange lamp glowing even switched off, the N is cut off and L is still live. You'd have to check from the main distribution board and set it right or it can be dangerous for anyone in the house.

Your amp is Live even when switched off and through the step down transformer there is a small voltage at the chassis that you feel when you touch.

Had it been a valve amp perhaps you'd have had it.
 
House Wiring.jpg
To illustrate the above.- First one is the one specified in the Codes. What is mostly practiced by unscrupulous contractors is the second one.

Another issue is pulling wires of different phases into one conduit. For safety it is not allowed unless it is a three phase load. But these guys do that too to save conduit
 
Does L& N switch affect the grounding ? i thought that is more of a Earht being at a higher voltage issue than L&N ?

of course since the fuse always needs to be on the L reversing might cause the equipment to protect the fuse than the other way around !.
In a double insulated equipment it would not as in most household equipment such as coffee grinders,hair dryers, clippers, drill etc. Live part is insulated as standard as well as the parts the user touches is insulated with additional insulation.

In AV equipment you have a similar kind of situation. The transformer isolates the rest of equipment from AC Mains. The virtual ground is created by the DC Zero volt terminal connected to chassis. Many equipment have only a single pole switch to cut the power. So if L&N are reversed, only N will be cut and the transformer will be still live and could leak a small voltage to the chassis if the L an N are reversed.

Another case is all AV have a small aux power supply or SMPS inside to keep the unit in Stand by to be switched on by remote control. Reversed L & N and always live L at the socket due to the wire saving wiring by electrical contractor could keep the chassis at a higher voltage than N (3V or so) and cause the tingling when touched.

Someone familiar with the power circuitry in solid state AV equipment may chime in.
 
In a double insulated equipment it would not as in most household equipment such as coffee grinders,hair dryers, clippers, drill etc. Live part is insulated as standard as well as the parts the user touches is insulated with additional insulation.

In AV equipment you have a similar kind of situation. The transformer isolates the rest of equipment from AC Mains. The virtual ground is created by the DC Zero volt terminal connected to chassis. Many equipment have only a single pole switch to cut the power. So if L&N are reversed, only N will be cut and the transformer will be still live and could leak a small voltage to the chassis if the L an N are reversed.

Another case is all AV have a small aux power supply or SMPS inside to keep the unit in Stand by to be switched on by remote control. Reversed L & N and always live L at the socket due to the wire saving wiring by electrical contractor could keep the chassis at a higher voltage than N (3V or so) and cause the tingling when touched.

Someone familiar with the power circuitry in solid state AV equipment may chime in.
An EXCELLENT summary, put in simple language 👍👌
 
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