How can the effects of ground loops be minimized?

A ground loop occurs when interconnected pieces of equipment are grounded through multiple paths of varying resistance. This creates small voltage differences between the devices, driving an unwanted current through the connecting cables and resulting in AC hum or interference. By directly bonding all equipment enclosures together using short, heavy conductors (like copper strap), you ensure that all chassis remain at the exact same electrical potential. When there is zero voltage difference between the enclosures, ground loop currents cannot flow. Connecting grounds in series (daisy-chaining) is exactly what causes these varying resistance paths, so a 'star ground' or bonded bus bar is preferred.