Grounding Question

[Baktown]

All,

Sorry for another newbie question, but after reading all the tech pages that were referred to me, I'm more confused than ever.

Do the input and output jacks connect directly to the aluminum enclosure?  All the tech pages I read couldn't seem to come to a conscensus.

Please don't slam me for being a frequent newbie poster, but I'm really trying to learn without having to ask.

Thanks,

Axl Bundy

[Papa_lazerous]

If you are using switchcraft style sockets then yes they will both ground directly to the enclosure,  I tend to use the insualtin Vox/Marshall types so they dont

[Baktown]

What's the advantage of insulating?  Yes, I'm using Switchcraft types jacks as they're so much more readily available, at least around here.

Thanks,

Axl

[Papa_lazerous]

Well the imediate advantage is you dont have to run a GND wire between the two where as I have to as they are insulated.  I still would though rather than having the singla GNd running round the box.  Maybe you would get some sort of improved RF screening having the enclosure GND'd I'm not really clued up to really comment on that as I never get problems like that

[Baktown]

The proverbial light bulb just lit up for me!

Instead of running ground wires from each of the jacks to the board, I would instead run 1 wire from the enclosure to the board, correct?

All of my builds so far are really noisy, which I suspect is a combination of RF and the compact fluorescent light bulbs I use in my house.  Also, I live in an urban area in Southern California which has about 50 radio stations in a 20 mile radius, so RF will continue to be a problem.

Thanks for the help!

Axl

[GibsonGM]

I've done it both ways, and find the 'jacks ground the box' method to be quieter, IMHO.  And no pesky ground wire for the output jack!
---------------------
Saw your new post....well, if you switch ground using your input jack, with an uninsulated (Switchcraft) jack the ground connection is made right there...so no formal grounding of the box is necessary!  Ckt board ground goes to the input jack, battery "-" is switched there (in a neg. ground circuit...).    You don't have to ground the output jack at all, just run the output wire from switch to jack tip...the enclosure does the rest!  I find this much quieter, playing in neon-filled bars, and my rig stays pretty hiss-free....

[Baktown]

Mike,

Thanks for the help.  THis is starting to become more and more clear.

Axl

[Baktown]

If I mount the board to the enclosure using a metal standoff and screw through the ground strip on the board, will that eliminate the need to run a wire from the input jack to the board?

[petemoore]

will that eliminate the need to run a wire from the input jack to the board?
  I'll stick with  soldered wire connections where possible, but a connection IS a connection, by rights if it connects reliably, it works, I eliminate and solder speaker tab type connections.

[ochorojo]

Hello everybody,
I was just thinking about this topic today, kinda.  When we use shielded wire, only one end of the shield is grounded correct?  This principle IMHO should be applied to the input and output jacks for maximum RF reduction.  The problem is, in my multiply years of lurking in the shadows of this forum I have never witnessed it, I could be wrong and probably am.  For example, most people will either use uninsulated jacks on both input and output or insulated on both.  The problem with this, as I see anywho, is that in using uninsulated jacks, you create a ground plane on the enclosure,  with two uninsulated jacks, you get nothing from the box.  As i see it,  shouldn't we use an uninsulated on one side, say the input, and an insulated on the other, effectively recreating the conditions of shielded wire, and connecting the ground and signal wires as usual.  Does this seem correct?  Thank you all for listening to my incoherency. 

[boyersdad]

I think that might apply somewhat for just a straight-thru box, but other than that, you've got issues from the board ect  to contend with.