Ground loop problem!

abhinavjoshua

Hello, This is my first post in this forum.

First all of all, I would like to inform you all that I am a no "electric guy"..!!!

I have a Home Studio setup and I record my songs. I'v been into recording for the past 3 years, but since then I am unable to solve my problem which is GROUND LOOP in my recordings (a humming or buzzing sound in recorded sound).
I have done tons of researches and found out nothing to resolve this!

THE PROBLEM STAYS AS IT AS!!!!

So, I record my stuff on laptop without the charger connected and transfer files to my PC.

I would like to explain my whole setup so that you can help me better!
I live in a Church Parsonage (kinda old building). There is no proper grounding. To my knowledge, the ground has been connected to the neutral at the main box, so there are no separate grounding wires connected to the grounding pin of the wall socket in outlet. I have even checked by opening the wall socket and found out that the grounding pin was left unconnected (there is no separate grounding wire actually).

I am sick of that humming & buzzing sound. What can I do to avoid that nasty sound without the whole BIG PROCEDURE of grounding? (it's not possible to have proper fitting right now)

Please help me in some way to atleast have only one outlet grounded so that I can start my recordings on my PC. I have heard of connecting a copper wire to a tap, pipe, etc to add some additional grounding, is it true?

PLEASE HELP ME IN SOME WAY OR THE OTHER!!!

Sorry for my English!

Joshua

Speedy Petey

I am no sound engineer, but I hear way too many things being blamed on "ground loops". It seems like this is an easy fall back scapegoat. I'm sure that is the problem many times, but there are plenty of other things that can cause interference and humming in audio systems.

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Sometimes I feel like if I answer any more questions it is like someone trying to climb over a fence to jump off a bridge and me giving them a boost.

k_buz

If you put cell phones too close to computer monitors, sometimes you will hear popping from the speakers.

I guess what I'm trying to say is there are people who make boatloads of $$ designing this kind of stuff. You set it up on your own using existing 100 year old wiring. It could be ANYTHING. You could live under a set of power lines, for anyone here to tell you what to do would simply be a guess.

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zappa

In your case not having a grounded system is a plus because it’s easier to troubleshoot. That being said, you may still have a grounded system. If the boxes are metal and the cables are metallic sheathed or have a ground wire attached to the box, the socket could be getting the ground through the mounting screws. As others have said, there needs to be a lot of questions asked to find the cause of a hum problem and your ground system or lack of one needs to be determined first. Also, what country are you located in?

Second, how are you recording onto your laptop? Instruments, radio, etc. Is the hum on the recorded file?

AllanJ

Run a bare #12 or #14 wire from one piece of equipment to another. Attach it to each piece by a screw that penetrates to the chassis or by a clamp or dummy jack that fits one of the input or output jack shells. Include all piees of electronic equipment.Connect the far end of this wire to a known ground for ecample the screw that holds the cover on a receptacle that IS grounded.

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abhinavjoshua

I am recording through an audio interface M AUDIO FAST TRACK (USB POWERED). If I connect the charger to the laptop and then record, humming stays, but if I record without the charger, humming goes out. That is maybe because the metal pin of the charger comes into contact with the laptop!

k_buz

The cord of the laptop has a transformer built in...that could be the cause of the interference.

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abhinavjoshua

I live in India. I can attach some pictures of my wall outlet, if you could see and let me know the fault?

abhinavjoshua

But the problem remains even if I record through my PC.

k_buz

You live in India? From the pictures I've seen of the electrical in that part of the world, it could be anything. I see this thread reaching 10 pages of guesses.

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k_buz

The PC has a transformer as well.

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abhinavjoshua

I got you, but there is no grounding system in my home!
What I recently did was, connected the copper wire to the grounding pin and connected the other end of it to a water tap pipe!

The humming was gone but not completely.

abhinavjoshua

Okay! So what can I do to prevent it?

k_buz

Don't know. I don't know if that is the issue. Like we have been saying, it could be ANYTHING. It could be something in the air. I could be something with your electrical system. Take your equipment to some other location. That could help you. You already know that if your laptop isn't plugged in, it works OK, use that.

Maybe someone here will be able to help, but I just don't know enough about audio interference to help you.

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abhinavjoshua

Thanks anyways!