Questions tagged [grounding]
Problems related to the connection of circuits to ground or earth references. Can affect safety, accuracy, reliability and interfacing.
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How should I connect the audio ground and shield wires in a Cat5 cable for analog audio?
I would like to carry 3x balanced signals to another part of my living room and I found that the cable space in the skirting boards would not allow 3x balanced cables (XLR connectors at the ends).
I ...
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0answers
37 views
Unexplained differences in behaviour between U.FL-terminated antenna and SMA-terminated antenna
I would like your opinions/advice regarding an unexplained observation between a U.FL-terminated antenna and an SMA-terminated antenna. Both antennas are from the same manufacturer and normally tuned ...
0
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1answer
32 views
Grounding and shielding between isolated devices
I have a battery operated micro controller with a hall sensor, mounted on a motorbike. The hall sensor has a shielded cable to counteract spark plug induced EMI. By default, the entire setup is ...
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2answers
111 views
How does grounding prevent electric shock?
I understand that an electrical appliance will be connected to ground to provide a path back if there is a fault and a live wire touches the case.
However if a person is also touching the case at ...
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0answers
25 views
How can I test which mains wire belongs to neutral and which to ground? [migrated]
I currently live in Spain, in an old building, where apparently electrical codes don't strictly apply... because not all outlets have ground or, indeed, not all connections are grounded. To make ...
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0answers
40 views
Why is there a positive body voltage when grounded, but none when not?
So after reading about earthing and earthing mats, I decided to make myself a very basic one for cheap to test the concept before jumping in with purchasing more sophisticated products.
Here's what I ...
1
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1answer
79 views
why is it bad if a coax cable (used for antenna cable) has multiple paths to ground?
I have an Internet modem/router device connected to a 20 foot LMR400 coaxial cable which uses N-to-N type connectors to connect to a 10 foot LMR400 cable, which is then connected into an ...
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2answers
56 views
Earth line safety [closed]
I am working with a conductive appliance that a user will be in constant contact with over extended periods of time and the appliance is constantly earthed.
These two facts cannot change, other than ...
0
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1answer
36 views
Is it right to define ground as a pool of surplus free electrons, like a metal?
In a dipole antenna or any other pole like antenna, there is supposedly a ground on one side causing the current to flow away and towards the ground towards the feed, but if the whole antenna itself ...
0
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2answers
130 views
Connect IR Emitter (+) to IR Receiver (+)?
I have a vehicle stereo deck that has an IR receiver input (+) and a steering wheel control module that has an IR emitter LED (+/-). The steering wheel control module, "translates" (using a mapping ...
5
votes
1answer
112 views
Grounding PCB Within Aluminum Enclosure
I have been doing some research on this question and, while I found a number of questions here asking something similar, I don't quite get the side-by-side comparison I am looking for. Therefore I ...
1
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1answer
49 views
LCD suddenly stops displaying
I am using a PC2002LRU-BWB-H-Q LCD with a STM32F4 micro and is powered through a TMP10424. There is also some 3V3 and 5V modules to. The problem is that the LCD is displayed fine for over days and ...
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0answers
60 views
Does regularly spaced via stitching contribute to standing waves on an RF PCB?
Should vias be irregularly spaced? Can consistent spacing between ground vias create standing waves.
Has anyone ever heard of this? I've been doing this for awhile and I've never heard this and ...
5
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1answer
135 views
PCB ground connection for shared power/data bus system
I have a wireless device that is connected to a shared power and data bus, similar to below. The bus can be shared by up to 5 devices and I don't know what it will be connected in advance.
I connect ...
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3answers
28 views
Connecting the Block AIM 5.0/2.0 auto-transformer to UK three-wire plug
I am not electrically very knowledgeable person. At the moment I am trying to connect a Block AIM 5.0/2.5 Auto-transformer to a piece of very sensitive medical equipment. The auto-transformer was ...
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0answers
25 views
How to have Wye-connected Potential Transformers(PTs) and Neutral Ground Resistor short circuit detection at my ground fault protection relay?
Detecting if the Neutral Ground Resistor (NGR) is shorted is something that must be checked at the Ground Fault Protecting Relay. The typical way to do this is to inject a DC component and to measure ...
0
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1answer
46 views
Correct way to ground components for solar panel measurement
I'm currently doing a project where I'm supposed to measure the current and the voltage from a solar panel and am unsure of how I should ground all the components in the circuit (since electrical ...
0
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1answer
42 views
Ground anti-static bracelet without ground wire
I recently damaged a IC with my own static while soldering it. So I decided to buy a anti-static bracelet, but.. here where I live (Brazil) almost no building has proper grounding, only neutral and ...
0
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1answer
62 views
Grounding of IT equipment for office ESD protection
We've been having a lot of problems in my office with ESD. People touch cubicle frames and monitors shut off momentarily, painful shocks through laptops, etc. I'm worried about equipment getting ...
27
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5answers
6k views
Is it a bad idea to plug the other end of ESD strap to wall ground?
I have gone through this answer on Superuser, while it provides good information, I still have a specific question from electrical/electronics engineering point of view.
Is it wrong and unsafe to ...
0
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3answers
45 views
Mitigating touch current in two-pronged AC without dedicated ground
I'm trying to work on a simple circuit where (simplified) I plug in a 240V 50Hz AC through a resistive coil to convert to heat. The coil is insulated and placed under a metal plate. I'm noticing that ...
6
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4answers
2k views
How does residential electricity work?
I'm trying to understand how the electricity works in my house. I live in the US. I know that at the transformer, the primary winding induces a current in the secondary winding. The secondary ...
0
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1answer
60 views
Shield ground to metal body or signal ground?
I have a question about grounding.
I will have two short shielded cables with signal wires inside, located at the top of a tower. The cables have a grounding wire inside shorted to their foil shields ...
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2answers
416 views
What is signal ground
I encountered signal ground symbol while studying 555 IC
Please explain why isn't a simple ground connection used and how does signal ground differ from normal ground. I am a first year undergraduate, ...
4
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3answers
88 views
If two objects are grounded, why do they still need to be bonded? And if they are bonded, why does each still need to be grounded? (fire safety)
When transferring a flammable liquid, both the container and the receptacle are supposed to be grounded and bonded.
If they are both grounded, shouldn't the change on each be equal to ground? And if ...
3
votes
1answer
58 views
Adding SMA conectors to a device whose metal casing is connected to earth ground through at a single point
We are iterating a device whose metal chassis is internally connected to an ESD guard ring that is connected to the PCB signal ground through a 0Ohm resistor in a single point close to the power ...
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vote
2answers
134 views
Is it a good idea to ground a heat sink?
Have a nice piece of Motorola obtainium that I want to use to power a Raspberry Pi, and I also happen to have a left over ground wire (the case has a three-lead power connector). The case is 100% ...
7
votes
2answers
3k views
Why is there a voltage between the mains ground and my radiator?
I have an anti-static mat that comes with a plug that only has a ground lead. Out of curiosity, I measured the voltages between the live, neutral, ground, and my radiator.
As expected, there is ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
Extension cord from grid through GFCI outlet to off grid inverter. Does the extension cord ground need connected?
I have an off grid system: PV, charge controllers, inverters, and batteries. I want to add a 120V grid input from a GFCI outlet through an extension cord directly into the inverter AC input. However, ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
NPN Transistor Switching 12V - grounds with different potential
I'm struggling with a NPN transistor switching problem, and in the process I've burned out a board elsewhere in my machine. Electronics is not my strong suit. I want to use a 5V signal to switch 12V. ...
0
votes
0answers
43 views
Bootleg grounds on residential 2 wire 110v electric circuits
I bought a old duplex house with 2 wire electric circuits and 3 prong outlets.
A home inspection found the outlets had no ground,the seller agreed to having an electrician "rectify" this condition ...
0
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0answers
31 views
shunt resistor with solar panel
I'm wondering whether the connection of the shunt resistor in this image is correct? and not having any grounding problems? Because i have already connected my shunt resistor with solar panel and ...
0
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1answer
47 views
how to make different grounding
yesterday when i ask about driving circuit, someone told me that it is a little use in optocoupler when i use the same ground everywhere. because so far (iam a green hand in electronic) i just connect ...
4
votes
1answer
145 views
PCB design review: analog routing
I am designing a PCB with analog signals for the first time, and I would really appreciate any feedback on my layout and routing.
The circuit is a light-meter, consisting of a photodiode connected ...
0
votes
1answer
53 views
How do you monitor communications on a positive-grounded device from a negative-grounded desktop?
I have a need to read the signals being sent between two boards in a lighting fixture.
In preparing to do this I have read much about the chips, RS485, and analysers/decoders that are out there. I am ...
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1answer
54 views
Amplification of a Microphone with a LED Array and speaker: Grounds? [closed]
This is the circuit I'm trying to build:
Circuit on falstad.com
I feel like everything works in theory, but I'm having trouble implementing the grounds on the actual circuit. I do not know where to ...
1
vote
2answers
49 views
Shield grounding location for an STP cable in a balanced system
If a balanced source or driver is coupled to a differential balanced receiver via a balanced STP cable as shown in the hand drawn illustration below:
in such case I have read that grounding the ...
2
votes
1answer
52 views
Common ground on a switch mode power supply
I've got a switch mode power supply and I have a question on the grounding of the PCB. Documentation on the PSU can be found here:
https://docs-emea.rs-online.com/webdocs/1621/0900766b81621ef9.pdf
...
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1answer
111 views
Proper Chassis Grounding
I'm starting to design things that run off mains voltage and I want to be sure that I have a proper connection from my chassis to earth ground.
I've been reading a bit about proper grounding and have ...
2
votes
1answer
65 views
ESD Grounding Straps with No Chassis Ground
I've got water pump device that needs to pass ESD testing (IEC 61000-4-2, 8kV contact, 15kV air discharge).
On this device (as circled in red), there are these four metal inlets.
At 2kV with an ...
0
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0answers
52 views
Grounding the components of a DIY cnc machine
I'm in the process of building a DIY cnc machine. It already runs, but I noticed it has some interference problems (steppers act weird on occasions, the full graphic smart controller LCD has trouble ...
2
votes
1answer
816 views
Why put capacitor between ground and chassis?
In the product I analyse (an optical fork sensor, rated 10V-35V), there is a sizewise big capacitor between ground and chassis.
I measured its value with an LCR meter, it is 60nF. I also broke one by ...
1
vote
1answer
79 views
DC floating ground and TVS Diodes for ESD
I want to provide ESD protection for a low voltage battery powered device and I do not understand what sort of net I should attach to the cathode side of the TVS diodes:
I do not have a strong ...
3
votes
1answer
193 views
Shield in Inner Copper Layer
I have been designing second version of 4 Layer PCB. The PCB has connectors all over the PCB. In the first version, I had Copper Pour (I call it ...
0
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2answers
74 views
Not Understanding Grounding in an Electrical Circuit
This might be a stupid question but i am just a little confused about grounding/earthing. Specifically for example in a home when some electrical appliance faults, the current will go to ground since ...
0
votes
1answer
51 views
Can leakage current to ground generate static electricity?
I'm having a weird issue at my workplace where some industrial equipment is present.
Almost every time I leave my laptop (with grounded aluminum body) for a while and come back I will get a quite ...
0
votes
1answer
54 views
Device's ground riding on a non-ground signal
The question is somewhat conceptual, feel free to close if it's too off-topic.
If I take my portable (battery-powered) oscilloscope and try to measure the mains voltage, the connection polarity ...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
Digital signal integrity & grounding
I have a battery operated device with an old B&W LCD in it. I'm tapping to the display bus and would like to input it into an FPGA for some processing.
The bus includes vertical and horizontal ...
2
votes
1answer
80 views
Earth Ground Portable Generator
I recently bought a pure sine wave 2kV portable generator to use for camping. In the manual it states that the generator should be grounded to actual earth through a metal stake and then attached to ...
1
vote
1answer
81 views
Noise on my oscilloscope when probing a wire
I am prototyping a NTC voltage divider circuit and I am having trouble with noise on my probe. It seems like I am constantly getting a large amount of noise (200-300mv) on my oscilloscope waveform ...
