Self Medicating > General DIY

Dedicated subpanel

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shrinkmore:
Thanks for a very definitive response.  Despite my initial post, I am staying with code, e.g., have romex runs, outlets etc... and at this point do not have an independent ground rod, but the subpanel is grounded back to the main panel.  I do have the ground rod, and your advice confirms other information I have had, that it has to be grounded back to the main rod.  Thanks also for mention of the Jensen ground loop stopper thingy.  

I want to emphasize again to anyone reading this:  If you do not have a dedicated subpanel with dedicated runs to your components, you are missing the most transformative and moderately priced tweak, and your system is not performing up to it's potential.

Inscrutable:
Doug et al,
I too have a separate subpanel upstairs waiting for me to finish the theater and listening room.  My only mistake (so far) is that I should have run a circuit or two from the main panel to handle anything up here with a motor (like the refrigerator and if I use a motorized screen).  I think one of the biggest benefits is getting the noise generated by such things off this panel.   I think I can still remedy that situation pretty easily and run those lines.  You guys think the juice is worth the squeeze?

shrinkmore:
You probably don't have to worry about your screen motor, which won't be running a lot, unlike a refrigerator motor.  Nonetheless, anything you don't want on the same circuit can go on the opposite lug or pole of the subpanel.  What is the opposite lug or pole?  Half of all your circuit breakers run off of one of the 2 hot wires (probably red and black) going to the subpanel from the main panel (the other two wires are your neutral [usually white] and ground [usually bare copper]).  Usually, the breakers that are horizontally end to end are on the same lug or pole, and then every other space vertically are on the same lug or pole as these.  By using only one lug or pole for your system, you can separate anything else from it, by using the opposite lug or pole.  In addition, it is important to have your equipment on the same lug or pole, so they are in phase.  The only question is if your subpanel is big enough to accomodate the number of dedicated lines you desire, i.e., it should have twice the number of breaker slots that you want for your system, then the other half can be used for other stuff.  If this isn't clear let me know.  

And yes, the juice is worth the squeeze and for that matter, the squeeze is worth the juice.

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