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Author Topic: GFCI advice please  (Read 16417 times)

Brian Jojade

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Re: GFCI advice please
« Reply #10 on: May 28, 2015, 12:56:32 PM »

If you have gear that trips GFCI plugs, the problem is not the GFCI plug, but the gear you are using.
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Brian Jojade

Tom Duffy

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Re: GFCI advice please
« Reply #11 on: May 28, 2015, 01:18:36 PM »

I would expect architects and engineers to refer to and be familiar with the code book-since that is their job.   Code generally requires all outdoor receptacles "supplied by 125 volt, 15 or 20 amp circuits"-with no discussion of the type of receptacle.  Art 525 modifies that requirement-but it requires not only receptacles but equipment accessible to the public to be GFCI protected.

The general attitude taken is that the receptacles need protection, period.  Compatability with gear is not an exception to the rule-the expectation is to bring the gear up to the standard not the standard down to the gear.

Absoltely! Quoting to put this on the 2nd page as well.   Safety first and always.  Standards here should be higher.
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TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: GFCI advice please
« Reply #12 on: May 28, 2015, 01:33:40 PM »

One of my gigs is a temporary setup in a common area.  The client drops a construction-type spider box.  Our gear typically doesn't trip the GFCIs, but band-provided extension cords, power strips, and guitar/bass rigs do...
I have no doubt that there are a large number of instrument amplifiers with caps in various states of disrepair and power strips with MOVs that have turned into sieves.  Protecting against these is exactly the intention of GFCI devices.  I'm sure there will be a few pissed off guitar players when they are told they can't use their amp because it's unsafe, but this isn't materially different than the hot chassis issues of the non-polarized plug era.

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MIKE Lynn

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Re: GFCI advice please
« Reply #13 on: May 28, 2015, 03:54:50 PM »

  I have experienced issues with GFCI triping , The Itech 8000's would almost always pop them as soon as someone yells into a mic  , click click click , half the system goes down. Not good. We did alot of testing and the electricans couldnt find a problem the amps all check out fine. The answer for us  was no GFCI on the amps and we havent had a problem since. They changed out all the recepticles to a nema 6-20 220volt and we havent had a problem since. But I have seen PA amps trip GFCIs plenty of times and hate them on the PA amps when ever the amps are going to have to work. We still have the GFCIs on the 110v lines for the other gear just not on the amp lines. havent had problems with them with any other gear but still dont trust them so I bring a UPS for the console alot of times just in case.  Just my experience with them.
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Lynn Sound Systems INC.
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TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: GFCI advice please
« Reply #14 on: May 28, 2015, 03:59:45 PM »

  I have experienced issues with GFCI triping , The Itech 8000's would almost always pop them as soon as someone yells into a mic  , click click click , half the system goes down. Not good. We did alot of testing and the electricans couldnt find a problem the amps all check out fine. The answer for us  was no GFCI on the amps and we havent had a problem since. They changed out all the recepticles to a nema 6-20 220volt and we havent had a problem since. But I have seen PA amps trip GFCIs plenty of times and hate them on the PA amps when ever the amps are going to have to work. We still have the GFCIs on the 110v lines for the other gear just not on the amp lines. havent had problems with them with any other gear but still dont trust them so I bring a UPS for the console alot of times just in case.  Just my experience with them.
Multiple ITech 8000s do this?  If so, that's interesting.  ITech HDs do not do this.
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MIKE Lynn

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Re: GFCI advice please
« Reply #15 on: May 29, 2015, 02:43:42 PM »

Multiple ITech 8000s do this?  If so, that's interesting.  ITech HDs do not do this.

Yeah multipul and even had it with the 6Ks on smaller P.A. rigs without subs
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John Sulek

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Re: GFCI advice please
« Reply #16 on: May 29, 2015, 11:58:12 PM »

And if you read Guy Holt's very thorough post in the Grounding and Electrical forum, you'll see that these higher-amperage circuits also need GFCI protection under the most recent revision of the NEC.  The good news is that these GFCIs are not intended to trip at 5ma (many are adjustable).

One of my gigs is a temporary setup in a common area.  The client drops a construction-type spider box.  Our gear typically doesn't trip the GFCIs, but band-provided extension cords, power strips, and guitar/bass rigs do...

There have been GFCI protected company switches and CEEform plugs for audio and lighting power in Europe for quite a while. Called RCD over there. Works just fine with anything I've used including largish step down transformers for North American pa systems (just don't energize with the transformer output switched on).
Back in the days of dimmers, you could get some nuisance trips but the trip threshold was adjustable to eliminate this.


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John Roberts {JR}

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Re: GFCI advice please
« Reply #17 on: May 30, 2015, 11:23:12 AM »

  I have experienced issues with GFCI triping , The Itech 8000's would almost always pop them as soon as someone yells into a mic  , click click click , half the system goes down. Not good. We did alot of testing and the electricans couldnt find a problem the amps all check out fine. The answer for us  was no GFCI on the amps and we havent had a problem since. They changed out all the recepticles to a nema 6-20 220volt and we havent had a problem since. But I have seen PA amps trip GFCIs plenty of times and hate them on the PA amps when ever the amps are going to have to work. We still have the GFCIs on the 110v lines for the other gear just not on the amp lines. havent had problems with them with any other gear but still dont trust them so I bring a UPS for the console alot of times just in case.  Just my experience with them.
Did you ask Crown about this...?

JR
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Jay Marr

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Re: GFCI advice please
« Reply #18 on: June 14, 2015, 07:25:13 PM »

Did you ask Crown about this...?

JR

Just stumbled across this thread while looking for info as to why my Itech 8k kept tripping the GFI yesterday.

I have 2 reoccurring gigs that are outdoor venues, and they are the only places that have GFI's (I'm guessing it's required for outdoor outlets?).
At both places, my Itech 8K trips the GFI.  I'm using it on JBL SRX subs. 
At one of the venues I swapped out to an XTI4k (and just ran one SRX728), and that also tripped the GFI.
I guess I could also try my CE4000....but could I even expect any different result?

What is the solution here?  Less gear?  Because I know these venues are not going to make any changes to accommodate.

I may give Crown a call to see if I can learn anything.
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Mark Wilkinson

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Re: GFCI advice please
« Reply #19 on: June 14, 2015, 09:14:04 PM »

Sorry,....... are we talking tripping receptacles or breakers?


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ProSoundWeb Community

Re: GFCI advice please
« Reply #19 on: June 14, 2015, 09:14:04 PM »


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