wiring block or wiring in sequence?

[Distortion]

Which is the most practical?  Is it better to wire your common connectors in sequence or to wire them to a wiring block?

[OSCAR]

If by 'better' you mean 'failsafe', then connecting all the grounds to a terminal block would be preferred.  If for some reason a cable or connection would fail in a series, or daisy-chain, connection then they all go out.  With a terminal block each ground would be run separately to the block.  Of course, if the connection between the terminal block and encoder were to fail, then all the controls would go out as well.

Of the panels I've done, I've never felt it necessary to have a ground block and run separate grounds.  I've yet to have a cable failure and I've used everything from 16ga. speaker wire to second-hand, solid core CAT5...  

[Brad Lee]

If you're going to daisychain the grounds, run from each end of you chain to your common ground, so if any one connection fails you're still OK


red lines are your data, black is your ground

[Carsten Carlos]

@Brad Lee

Respect, this idea is so simple and effective that I never would've thought of it!

This really should get on the FAQ-section, Saint!

[OSCAR]

The looped ground wire method was also discussed in this thread, http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=4694.

[PacManFan]

I've got to point out that wiring a ground loop is NOT a good Idea. The loop acts as an antenna  and may pick up stray RF signals which may cause a. You are much better off going with a single ground wire.

[rampy]

I've got to point out that wiring a ground loop is NOT a good Idea. The loop acts as an antenna  and may pick up stray RF signals which may cause a. You are much better off going with a single ground wire.

hey pacmanfan,

I'm much too rusty in my electronics theory... but I think you might be confused... I know in the audio signal world (for example) a ground loop is a very bad thing, but i think the term ground loop that we coined (ha, coined... get it?!)  to explain how we wire in a loop and redundantly back around to the source terminal at the "end" of the wiring is different than the types of "ground loops" that pick up RF interference and 60cycle hum and all sorts of nasties...

I think this is way different as we are dealing with "digital" (as in on/off) signals in the DC realm... and not AC audio waveforms, etc...

Again... that's just my impression... I *used* to actually know what I was talking about re: electronics theory.. but now I don't know my collector or emmiter from my arse =P

rampy

[PacManFan]

I have to differ with you here on this, If the peak to peak voltage inducted by this ground loop exceeds the threshold voltage in the keyboard input encoder, It can cause false triggering. Ground loops are just a bad idea in general.

-PacManFan
ps. (I'm an electronic engineer)

[rampy]

I have to differ with you here on this, If the peak to peak voltage inducted by this ground loop exceeds the threshold voltage in the keyboard input encoder, It can cause false triggering. Ground loops are just a bad idea in general.

-PacManFan
ps. (I'm an electronic engineer)

I went to a Vocational technical high school for electronics and didn't pursue the EE at all afterwards so you've got me trumped there...    Damn the inductance... damn it to hell!  =P

Rampy