Audiophile AC Duplex Receptacles with Isolated Grounding?

MTB Vince

Well-Known Member
May 11, 2019
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Dundas, ON Canada
Hi folks, my first post as an OP! In the midst of a few "infrastructure upgrades" to our music and cinema room. Replacing the two 15a 12g wire dedicated lines I ran from a busy 100a panel 20+ years ago with three new 20a 10/3 dedicated lines which will only share a new 80amp panel with a new Mitsubishi Mini-split and ERV on the opposite phase. Hey ample quieter power and a new whisper quiet dedicated HVAC system- what's not to like!

Anyway, my favorite contractor understands and humors my audiophillic tendencies and as such all three new dedicated lines measure the same length two within an inch despite dropping at center rear wall, center right wall, and center front wall. They will also feature isolated hospital style grounding. The receptacle safety ground pin is on a separate insulated wire from the exposed ground wire to the box and metal shielding of the combination of "BX" armored shielding and steel surface mount raceway the AC cables run through. The two separate isolated grounds are bonded at the breaker box only. To effect this arrangement I require Hospital grade 20a receptacles with the ground strap isolated from the ground pin. We currently have some orange Pass & Seymour Hospital grade (green triangle) duplex receptacles on hand but I was looking for something better. I've looked through Furutech and Oyaide's online technical docs and found no mention of the isolated grounding feature. Any suggestions???
 
Through just plain dumb luck I stumbled upon a hi-end solution on my own. It turns out that the Cardas 4181US Duplex features a nifty user configurable safety ground which can be configured for isolated grounding. And they just happen to be on sale at Partsconnexion.com for 25% off this month. Yay! Ironic that Partsconnexion has the one high-end receptacle in existance with exactly the feature I need after one of their techs expressly told me no such high-end plug existed the day before. Doooh!
 
if you did not do the work yet do this .
run 10\3 mc cable if its bx and not mc ap. or hospital grade bx it has a real insulated ground wire inside . use black and white for outlet a 10 gauge wire fits almost any hospital isolated ground outlet . it will have a green dot , hosp and should have an orange dot , iso grounded . dont buy online unless its from a real usa based vender . use the red wire with the green wire as this makes for a larger over all ground path back to panel . now the theory of 15 and 20 or even 30 is the contact size and presure inside the circuit breaker as well as how it fits ion panel buss . this is the best practis . if yoy did the work already im sure its fine as is
 

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