Earth Fault Loop and Transformer Blues

[Naim_The_Dragon]

An electrician – when checking wiring after some building – found an earth fault loop at our property. Apparently a max of 0.8 ohm is allowed, but we have 2.4 ohm. Oh dear… We are now waiting for UK Power Networks to check and fix the earth – but it will take a while for an engineer to come out…

I now wonder whether the earth fault loop could cause the humming transformers in my Naim boxes. It is often mentioned here that earthing is important for Naim electronics, but to be honest I don’t quite understand the technical side of it. I am a social scientist…

Until now, I always thought the relatively high voltage is our area (in the 240s) might cause the transformer hum. In a previous house, a DC blocker did magic, but not the current property.

To those with technical knowledge, any chance to fixing the earth could cure the transformer blues? Long shot, or pipe dreaming?

[Mike-B]

I doubt it if it’s a simple earth defect on the local mains power supply earthing.
Power earth on Naim boxes is primarily safety & only connects the E wire to the case.
The transformers are only connected to L & N.
However it might do something for the hum, depending on your actual local power earth arrangement, if the earth defect also includes an associated defect on L and/or N

[Naim_The_Dragon]

Thanks so much for your swift technical insight – so probably I shouldn’t get my hopes up. The electrician didn’t really say much about the failure. I guess further testing on the “other side” (UK Power Networks equipment) is needed…