Ground loop (electricity)

Imagine you are playing with two toys that use batteries. You want to connect them so they work together, but you notice that they have different voltages. So you take a wire and plug it into both toys. But when you turn them on, you hear a buzzing noise and the toys don't work properly. This is because of something called a ground loop.

A ground loop happens when two devices are connected to different power sources, and there is a difference in the electrical current flowing through them. This can create a loop of electrical interference that causes buzzing, humming, or other unwanted noise.

To understand it better, pretend you are playing a game of tug-of-war. Two teams are pulling on the same rope, but one team is a little stronger than the other. As a result, the rope starts to wiggle and shake, and it's hard to keep hold of it. That's kind of like what happens with a ground loop. The electrical current from one device is pulling harder than the other, causing an imbalance in the system.

To fix a ground loop, you need to find a way to equalize the electrical current between the two devices. One way to do this is by using a ground isolator, which acts as a bridge between the two devices and helps to even out the flow of electricity. Another way is to unplug one of the devices and run it on batteries instead.

So, in summary, a ground loop happens when two devices are connected to different power sources and there is an imbalance in the electrical current. This can create unwanted noise or interference, but it can be fixed by using a ground isolator or running one of the devices on batteries.