# Electrical interference from a fuse panel?



## Duster (Dec 28, 2007)

Not sure where to post this. I don't really know anything about the mysterious world of electricity, but I know there are folks here who do.

I'm building a new music room as part of my house reno, and unfortunately, the way things have gone, it looks like my new electrical panel is going to be located right in that music room. So I'm going to have a 200-amp service coming in through the wall and terminating in the fuse panel on the wall of my music room, and the panel will service the whole house. Despite the aesthetics of that, which are not ideal, but I can live with, should I be worried about any kind of electrical interference?

Is this going to cause any hum in my tube amps? Is it going to cause increased noise from single-coil guitar pickups?

Is this a totally stupid question?


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

I don't feel this will be a problem if it's done 100% correctly using high quality parts. From what I've experienced it's the devices attached to the circuits that can cause noise - lights, electric motors, computers, TV monitors and the like.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Duster said:


> Is this going to cause any hum in my tube amps? Is it going to cause increased noise from single-coil guitar pickups?
> 
> Is this a totally stupid question?


My panel is in the same room as my guitars and tube amps. I agree with ed2000 that it is the devices on the circuits in and/or close to the room that could be an issue. Please add dimmmer switches to the ed2000's list... strats dislike them.

I can hold my Strat (into a tube) up in front of my panel as an experiment. If I don't get back to you, send a St. Bernard dog with a keg of Scotch around it's neck.

BTW...not a stupid question at all!

Cheers

Dave


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

I agree, if everything in your panel is in good shape, there is no reason be worried about electrical noise. That only occurs when connections are loose, breakers are not maintaining good contact, etc.


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

You might actually fine things sound better. Your wiring from the music room receptacles to the panel is going to be very short. Less line loss to your amps.
To avoid noise good grounding is important, and should be easily done by a qualified electrician. 
Just keep the typical noise makers (as mention previously) off the same line as your music room.


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

One other set of items to inspect are existing junction boxes, usually hidden in ceilings. Also ensure that there is not a mix of copper and aluminum wiring. The junctions or joining of dissimilar wire is troublesome if not done to current (no joke) standards. I had that problem in my house and amp(guitar actually) but it was intermittent arcing only under certain loads and humidity.

ps: I'm no electrical contractor but I know enough to get in trouble.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

My house was built in '62. Different codes then. Sometime in the mid 80's things were changed from a fuse panel to a breaker panel. When the electricians were in to fix things after the mishap with the telephone company we found that the renovations done in the basement were done to no code. Luckily all the wiring is copper. The tube amps I use are old. So are most of the guitars. There's no hum I can attribute from the panel box. From the fan in the down stairs bathroom, yes. Depending where I am standing, from one florescent light fixture and from some of the old tube radios and record players there's a hum but the panel seems to be good. You should be safe from interference. I have found on occasion there is radio interference but that's something completely different and under special circumstances.


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## Duster (Dec 28, 2007)

Thanks a lot for the responses, guys. I asked the question because in the old (pre-renovation) house, I used to get a lot of hum from my strat. Reflecting on these responses, it's likely it was because my wiring was crap and because I was plugged into a circuit that had at least one dimmer switch on it. There was always lots of hum when the light was on, but I never attributed it specifically to the dimmer switch. Makes total sense now. The new house is a total rebuild, so will have all-new, code-compliant wiring, professionally installed. I'll make sure no dimmers for that room and I'll make sure it's on its own circuit.

As I'm working through the music room build, I'll definitely post more questions and some photos. I'm excited about having a dedicated room and I'm going to have lots of questions!


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

Anyone have any experience with dimmable LED lights? Same interference/humming or quiet.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

Pretty much every dimmer I've tried has had an impact on line noise. Incandescent and LED have had the same result, not great. I've tested and played around with different switching, the old fashion on/off is best for a tube amp, silence except the what you want to hear.


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## Fader (Mar 10, 2009)

Dimmers are a bitch. If you have a variac, you can use it to dim the lights quietly.
ECM motors in the new furnaces are noisy too.

Your electrical service will create an EMF field directly proportional to the load. Wired to code or not. Sorry.

Keep your signal chain as far away as possible from it and the water meter too, if it's used for grounding.
You might be able to use a portable AM radio tuned between stations to sweep for areas to avoid. You'll hear the hum.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

My fuse panel is 10 feet away from my studio. And it's not been a problem. Like everyone said, if it's done right you shouldn't have any problems.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Duster said:


> Thanks a lot for the responses, guys. I asked the question because in the old (pre-renovation) house, I used to get a lot of hum from my strat. Reflecting on these responses, it's likely it was because my wiring was crap and because I was plugged into a circuit that had at least one dimmer switch on it. There was always lots of hum when the light was on, but I never attributed it specifically to the dimmer switch. Makes total sense now. The new house is a total rebuild, so will have all-new, code-compliant wiring, professionally installed. I'll make sure no dimmers for that room and I'll make sure it's on its own circuit.
> 
> As I'm working through the music room build, I'll definitely post more questions and some photos. I'm excited about having a dedicated room and I'm going to have lots of questions!


I had a music/computer/room room. That worked until the grand daughters started to come over here. They had a play room here but my space is good for two or three cartwheels. This past week end they were over and were fooling around with some of my guitars....and making up weird verses to old songs....now I might have to look for a couple of left handed guitars or do the Jimi Hendrix thing.


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## Duster (Dec 28, 2007)

Electraglide said:


> I had a music/computer/room room. That worked until the grand daughters started to come over here. They had a play room here but my space is good for two or three cartwheels. This past week end they were over and were fooling around with some of my guitars....and making up weird verses to old songs....now I might have to look for a couple of left handed guitars or do the Jimi Hendrix thing.


That's the idea. I've got a couple of little ones, so the music room is for all of us. I'm hoping they'll take an interest in music so they'll want to use it. I need a drummer and a bass player, so I figured I'd raise my own. If they want to join me in there, they will drive me crazy but it will be fun. If not, I'll use it as my man cave and it will still be great.


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