CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

virusc · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 358 Location: Massachusetts

I was thinking of getting a new conditioner/power distribution for my rack. I have always wanted the balanced power Monster HTPS 7000 but I am not sure if it will be optimal since I have a CRT projector in the mix. Do I have to have all equipment hooked to the Balanced power unit? I remember hearing that CRT projectors do not like balanced power anyway. I really wanted to seperate the power from the audio rack from the projector and I am going to run new dedicated 20a outlets. One for the projector and one or two for the rack. Does anyone know exactly the problems/rules for using balanced power? I have a good amount of gear and I would like to expand eventually that would probably require more than one 15amp outlet for the rack alone.

Thanks

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 1:53 pm Post subject:

There's a number of long threads on avs. I've always said that power conditioning if you have relatively clean power is a waste of money. I personally don't believe a word of Monster's specs or claims based on what I saw internally, so caveat Emptor.

According to Doug Baisey, you can actually blow system boards if you use an NEC with balanced power. I personally don't see how balanced power can be of benefit with a home theater system.

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

Add an Isolation Transformer before your Home Theater sub panel and main panel. A 5kv one should do the trick. This way you can put a nice sized sub panel box where you can add the amount of circuits you need.

Look in the Home theater construction forum here for my thread on it.

I have had no problems with this set up and the issue I had when the Air conditioner would turn on and my theater equipment would act funny is gone now.

Athanasios

virusc · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 358 Location: Massachusetts

Thanks, good ideas. I think I will not go after balanced power. My main panel is very close to my HT so I do not think I can add a isolation transformer now but I also wanted this as well some day.

akajester · Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 934 Location: Wisconsin

I did a separate circuit for my projector. I also put in a surge protected outlet just to be safe. I want to say it was $25-ish. We have pretty clean power in our house already, so haven't needed to invest in anything else.

Like others mentioned, I doubt you'd see a benefit from anything else.

Dale

DB Cooper · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 6:14 pm Post subject:

I have used a balanced power unit from equi tech for years now with my crt and all other equipment. Has always maintained perfect voltage levels and clean power. It is however, one of their commercial units. I had to run a dedicated 30amp line to the theater.

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

I would say if you want to do it then like DB go with some actual good stuff. Monster is crap.

mp20748 · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 7:35 pm Post subject:

rwallmow · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2010 8:01 pm Post subject:

This is kind of funny, I was going to post a similar question last night, but never got around to it.

Problem I have is when the compressor kicks on on my pop machine or the house A/C, the ensuing brownout causes the image on my BG 801s to "suck in" about 4-6" on either side (voltage drop to deflection circuit?) While only mildly annoying viewing, I cant imagine that its very good for the projector. Does anyone have any positive experiences with "plug in" conditioners as installing an isolation transformer in my panel is out of the question as I am currently renting-to-own, down the line if I purchase this place, that would be the way I would go though.

plug-in power conditioner or online UPS, Any opinions?

Specs say BG 801s draws 350 watts, but should I worry about a "surge" on start-up needing more than a 350 watt conditioner or online UPS.

Thanks all for your opinions.

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

Another solution is to use an UPS. if you don't have the time or know how to go with a dedicated power supply that an ISO provides.

Mike is right with Balanced power, it has to be done right. I am not sure about it 100% but I think you have to make sure both sides of the balanced power have the same amount of current draw or it can damage your gear. Someoen correct me if I am not 100% right here.

I assume adding a dedicated balanced power after the ISo is the best way to go.

I actually added a second medical grade ISO after the large 5Kv one that feeds my sub pannel. This Medical grade one feeds my two Marquee's and the VP's.

The scoped AC sine wave is nice and smooth even when the Air Kicks in.

Athanasios

akajester · Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 934 Location: Wisconsin

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 5:46 am Post subject:

David_Web · Joined: 02 May 2007 Posts: 418 Location: Sweden

I guess that any on-line UPS you buy today gives you a nice sine wave with less than 5% THD.

Most off-line UPS use a badly simulated sine wave, but that would do you no good in the first place as you want to take advantage of the regulation most on-line UPS offers.
Too bad they always comes with a fan (don't buy one without). Unless it is big and has good spec. I'd use APC or EATON. No experience with other brands.

When you say "balanced" do you refer to differential?
Because it's not the same. The differential is not the part that make it balanced. But balanced can be differential, or it could be any ratio.

virusc · Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 358 Location: Massachusetts

Why does everyone bash on monster products? I used to sell them for many years and the lower end cables I find were a waste but their mid to high end stuff if you can get it at a discount I think is very competitive. I would love to have the equi tech but I think those are > $5k, right? As it stands my home only has a 150amp panel so I would have to upgrade the panel to add more than a few circuits.

Boilermaker · Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 527

WTS · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1276 Location: Calgary

DOn't be so sure that any UPS you buy is going to give a nice clean sinewave, if it is even a sinewave out, maybe if you're spending a few Gs on it. Also I would bet the more current demand the more distorted the output is going to be and I'll also bet that the distort starts rising fairly quick on the cheaper units. On the other hand I don't know how much distortion our projectors can handle before they start objecting to the dirty power.

Maybe you should put a meter on your AC and see howmuch it drops when your other draws kick in. If it drops too much then I'd call the power company as you may have a weak transformer feeding your house.

Dale, they're all simulated sinewaves as a UPS takes AC from your line converts it to DC then converts it back to AC. In the back convertor they use a sinewave generator circuit to regenerate the AC, cheaper units use a square wave generator because it's cheaper. Generating a clean sinewave from start to finish under full load is not cheap to achieve.

rwallmow · Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2010 1:20 pm Post subject:

So it sounds like online UPS is the only way to go to fix my problems with a "plug-in" solution since I cant rewire.

Anyone know if there is a large "start-up" surge on something like my Barco, manual says it draws 350 watts, but will it ever need more than 500, like on start-up for example? Prices for online UPS's shoot up pretty quick after 500 watts.

Thanks again everyone, there is so much knowledge on this forum.

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

Boilermaker · Joined: 21 May 2006 Posts: 527