Mains Conditioning, help needed

aob9

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I need help with "cleaning" my mains supply. There is a ( very modern, expensive) electric fence unit connected to my house mains supply to keep out neighbouring cattle that have done damage to our garden in the past. I can hear ticking from within the casing of my Denon PMA 720 and Cambridge Audio Topaz amplifiers which I am certain is caused by interference from the electric fence unit radiating through the wiring in the house. I have surge protectors online and disconnect both amps from the mains when not in use. However, I'm concerend that this interference is damaging sensitive components in the amplifiers. I should point out this is not noise from the speakers as is common with fence units, it is coming from within the amplifier housing.

I have found two types of Tacima filters and wonder if either of these will resolve the problem.

http://tacima.com/mains_cond_cs929.html

Any suggestions most welcome.
 

tazzo

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I use the CS929, and it is pretty good, I think you might need to spend a bit more depending on how "dirty" your mains supply is.

Is there anyway you can have readings done?
 

aob9

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tazzo said:
I use the CS929, and it is pretty good, I think you might need to spend a bit more depending on how "dirty" your mains supply is.

Is there anyway you can have readings done?

I'l ask the electrical guys at work if they can provide me with something to take readings. I can live with it so long as it's not causing damage. I only hear it when the room is silent and the amp is powered up. Sound quality doesn't seem to be suffering but who knows, there may be obvious SQ benefits to cleaning up the mains supply to the amps.
 

Glacialpath

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aob9 said:
I need help with "cleaning" my mains supply. There is a ( very modern, expensive) electric fence unit connected to my house mains supply to keep out neighbouring cattle that have done damage to our garden in the past. I can hear ticking from within the casing of my Denon PMA 720 and Cambridge Audio Topaz amplifiers which I am certain is caused by interference from the electric fence unit radiating through the wiring in the house. I have surge protectors online and disconnect both amps from the mains when not in use. However, I'm concerend that this interference is damaging sensitive components in the amplifiers. I should point out this is not noise from the speakers as is common with fence units, it is coming from within the amplifier housing.

I have found two types of Tacima filters and wonder if either of these will resolve the problem.

http://tacima.com/mains_cond_cs929.html

Any suggestions most welcome.

High there sorry to hear about your issue. The Tacima does work as a mains conditioner but doesn't do audio signals much good. It seems to flatten them slightly.

You could try TCI (True Colour Industries) theirs are regular mains blocks but the mains cable filter due to it's construction. I have a TCI Constrictor £120. The are better ones in their range. I would suggest you contact them with your problem and see what they recomend.

If you have the budget though I would go for Isotek. They are more expensive but have a big range of kit and mains conditioning is all they do. I would contact them also with your issue and they should be very good at helping you sort your problem. The head guy is called Keith I think lol.

Let us know how you get on.
 

Glacialpath

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aob9 said:
I'l ask the electrical guys at work if they can provide me with something to take readings. I can live with it so long as it's not causing damage. I only hear it when the room is silent and the amp is powered up. Sound quality doesn't seem to be suffering but who knows, there may be obvious SQ benefits to cleaning up the mains supply to the amps.

Any noise that isn't from the original audio source is being added to what you listen to even if you only hear it when everything else is switched off and the room is quiet. So yeah it will make a subtle difference.
 

andyjm

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aob9 said:
I need help with "cleaning" my mains supply. There is a ( very modern, expensive) electric fence unit connected to my house mains supply to keep out neighbouring cattle that have done damage to our garden in the past. I can hear ticking from within the casing of my Denon PMA 720 and Cambridge Audio Topaz amplifiers which I am certain is caused by interference from the electric fence unit radiating through the wiring in the house. I have surge protectors online and disconnect both amps from the mains when not in use. However, I'm concerend that this interference is damaging sensitive components in the amplifiers. I should point out this is not noise from the speakers as is common with fence units, it is coming from within the amplifier housing.

I have found two types of Tacima filters and wonder if either of these will resolve the problem.

http://tacima.com/mains_cond_cs929.html

Any suggestions most welcome.

First thing to do is to check the fence power unit is the problem. Switch the fence unit off, and see if the ticking in the amp stops. Switch the unit back on and see if the ticking restarts.

If the fence unit is the problem, then it is likely faulty. Contact the supplier and see what they have to say, there are limits about how much noise can be injected into the mains by a device.

If the supplier won't play ball, and you have established that the fence unit is the problem, the place to put a mains filter is where the fence unit plugs in, not where the amp plugs in. Stop the problem at the source - treat the disease, not the symtpoms.
 

Sliced Bread

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For a problem that serious, I would probably ask an electrician.

You could even have the electrician install a separate mains supply to the house. I've heard this can be done for a few hundred pounds, but at least you know your kit is isolated.
 

Covenanter

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I had no idea of how these fences worked but apparently they generate brief regular intense pulses of power. I guess if those pulses get into your mains supply then they might cause your "ticking".

I agree with the poster who suggest that you should try to eliminate these at source.

Chris
 

aob9

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The fence unit isn't faulty. Not unless all three units I have tried have the same fault. Also, not all electrical components indicate interference. I know nothing about electronics but my amplifiers seem to be "amplifying" the inline interference making it physically audible. I'm going to speak to an electrician later today.
 

The_Lhc

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aob9 said:
The fence unit isn't faulty. Not unless all three units I have tried have the same fault.

I don't think anyone's suggesting they are, simply that the voltage pulse they produce is injecting a spike of noise into the mains which your amp is picking up, so you'd need to do something to block that, if possible.
 

TitusG

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I tried a Tacima conditioner with a radio that was suffering with interferance from a mains fencer and it made little difference.

your best bet might be to change your fencer to a 12v battery version.
 

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