Earthing again.

Aug 09, 2023 Last reply: 2 years ago 2 Replies

I used to run old electronic items that had a live or half mains voltage chassis from an isolation transformer with the chassis locally earthed independently. OK I know all about the dangers, but I'd suggest they are much less than running the devices on raw direct mains with no earth at all if you are leaving it open at the rear. So without quoting the really obvious pitfalls and breaches of rules in this, would you also take the chassis to an earthing rod, or to the earth on the primary side of the transformer? I don't see any detriment to the mains either way, since the final supply is isolated and you should be able to earth anything you like as long as the transformer is good and can isolate as it says on the tin, so to speak, it certainly has the current capacity, as its bloody heavy!



Brian


Don't earth it at all. That way you could touch anything (apart from the EHT) without getting a shock apart from perhaps a very slight one from whatever leakage current there is between primary and secondary windings.

John

Yes but if there are things that generate voltages such as eht for old analogy crt tellies, you will still get a shock because of the different voltages. Of course the one hand in your pocket rule is very much in order in such cases. Brian

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