Neovibe 16v transformer grounding

[swingarm]

I'm using the hammond 16 volt 161ea16 transformer .75ma. The bulb is a 12v 60ma its all I could find. Is this going to work? I'd like some info on using a 3 prong cord and properly grounding this pedal.

Thanks

[R.G.]

I'm using the hammond 16 volt 161ea16 transformer .75ma. The bulb is a 12v 60ma its all I could find. Is this going to work?

Probably so. But it's not what I'd recommend you use, for other reasons.

The bulb is probably fine.

I'd like some info on using a 3 prong cord and properly grounding this pedal.

Signal grounding is not equal to safety grounding, and the two can interact, producing hum. And that's kind of why I said what I did about the transformer above.

There are two accepted versions of AC mains safety isolation (at least that I know of in common use) those being safety grounded by a third wire, and "double insulated", which is the standard used when there is no third-wire ground. Third-wire ground uses that third wire to connect solidly to all user-accessible conductive surfaces so that a failure of the insulation on the AC mains voltage is shunted to ground without the user being exposed to AC mains voltages.

So-called double insulated practice requires more safety spacings and either two complete and separated insulation layers between AC mains and the user, or reinforced insulation which has been tested and approved as equivalent to two full layers of insulation.

Third-wire ground can cause hum issues if two pieces of equipment are plugged into two outlets where the real voltage of the third wire is slightly different. This is heard as a hum. It can be maddening to get this eradicated. If you go for a chassis-mount transformer and third wire, you're setting this up, as your amp is likely to be grounded - and you ought to make it grounded if it isn't.

What I recommend is getting an AC-output wall wart of 16V (or so) output. If this has been safety approved and only has two prongs, then it has had to meet the double insulated standards, and cannot cause the third-wire hum. It can have other problems, but not that one. And on top of that, it encases the dangerous AC mains voltage to the smallest possible area, and one that you don't have to go in and wire up, with the corresponding danger to yourself and others if you do it wrong.

[swingarm]

Thank you for the very informative reply. LOL I'm actually am very close to completing this pedal. I built it using a spacious box and mounted the transformer on its own board.
I will take your advice as I'm sure you are exactly right about all things neovibe . I did just want to raise one last item concerning ground lift switches. is there any possibility of using one successfully with this project to alleviate hum ?