I've just discovered my basement has a serious noise problem. Normally I keep a Tele upstairs in the living room to noodle on in the evening. I took it down to the basement to try it on an amp and those single coils were unbearable.
I found the first issue. My wife had replaced a couple of overhead lights with compact fluorescents. I flipped off the lights and the hash went away, but the amount of 60 Hz hum was still really bad.
Next I went around with a small practice amp, and nowhere upstairs is it as bad as the basement.
Any suggestions? I supposed I could line the walls with aluminum foil, with the added advantage that the aliens/government/communists couldn't send thought control messages when I was down there.
I had a big problem too a while back and replaced every spiral compact fluorescent bulb in my entire house.
Next I tracked down a low voltage outdoor light system that had been abandoned but still plugged in outside going to basement circuit right next to my bench.
I also unplugged my wife's lighted Christmas village on second floor that was another source not just in the basement.
M Fowler wrote:I had a big problem too a while back and replaced every spiral compact fluorescent bulb in my entire house.
Next I tracked down a low voltage outdoor light system that had been abandoned but still plugged in outside to basement circuit right next to my bench.
I also unplugged my wife's lighted Christmas village on second floor that was another source not just basement.
That cleaned up my mess.
Mark
Thanks Mark. That gives me some ideas as to what to look for. The wiring in this house is pretty crazy. I have to turn off a small heater in my office before anyone can use the microwave in the kitchen, otherwise it blows a breaker. I have a suspicion the electricians were drunk when they worked on the house. I know for sure the plumbers were.
I have my studio fed by two dedicated 15 amp circuits. One circuit is for incandescent lighting and non-musical gear (routers, cable modem, computers, etc). The other circuit is for the DAW rig, racks, amps, etc.
I have isolation transformers and UPS devices for the DAW computers.
Occasionally I still have to use Ebtech Line-Level-Shifters when interfacing guests non-balanced gear.
Florescent bulbs and dimmers are absolutely forbidden anywhere near those two circuits. Very quiet.
make sure you test the plug receptacles for proper wiring too, you never know.
one of those plug in three prong three light things, never assume anything is any good ever.
I run sound, the first thing I check is the venue power, and even then you can run into poor grounds and ground loops, some times I have to one leg it from one end of a venue to the other just get clean power, bust out the jumper cables and clip into 220,N and ground behind the old fuse box.
...bust out the jumper cables and clip into 220,N and ground...
I have been tempted to do that, but I could never get past the blatant liability issues. It someone gets electrocuted or the place catches fire, you are going directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
I think my plan of action is to pick up a circuit breaker finder and map out the outlets in my home. At least I might be able to manage what things use the breaker that feeds the outlets in the basement.
I guess I could use my tele as a "Hum Probe(tm)" to find hot spots of noise. My bench is at the other end of the basement and doesn't seem to have as much of an issue as the corner where I had this amp set up.
And of course, I need to replace the CF's. It's a shame LED light bulbs are so expensive.
