I got zapped!

owen291 · Post by **owen291** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 5:36 pm

WTF ?! I was biasing my amp with a small plastic flathead screwdriver. I was resting my hand on the chassis to keep it steady and then all of a sudden I got electrecuted. It threw me off my bench!

I'm not sure what was that but I'm not taking the amp to a gig until I figured out what's going on. Was that a build up voltage somewhere, then sudden discharge to the gound or what? I think some of the caps are failing but I'm not sure which ones? Help!

Post by **VelvetGeorge** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 6:07 pm

Owen, please please please.....be careful.

There is high voltage right near the bias pot.
Always observe the "one hand in the amp, the other in your pocket" rule.

Electricity has to follow the laws of physics, which means if you give it a path to follow, it definately will.

Hope you're OK.

George

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 9:13 pm

Fun gettin' "the zap" huh?
I always eye that bias pot funny, hate sticking a screwdriver sideways in there. Someone should track down bias pots that lay down so the screwdriver protrudes straight into the air out of the chassis, right George?

owen291 · Post by **owen291** » Wed Aug 25, 2004 3:53 am

Obviously I didn't get the memo on that "one hand in the amp, the other in your pocket" rule.

Can someone elaborate more on this? Thanks!

gnugear · Post by **gnugear** » Wed Aug 25, 2004 1:16 pm

I got zapped with 270V a while ago ... and that was the reading AFTER I got buzzed. I'm not sure how much drained into my arms.

I've been extra careful ever since.

Necrovore · Post by **Necrovore** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 7:49 pm

Flames1950 wrote:Fun gettin' "the zap" huh?
I always eye that bias pot funny, hate sticking a screwdriver sideways in there. Someone should track down bias pots that lay down so the screwdriver protrudes straight into the air out of the chassis, right George?

Im sure you can find one that will work from Mouser Electronics. Ill have a look at my mouser cd tonight and see if I can find something that will work. It doesn't have to be a side adjust does it George?

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:48 pm

Necrovore wrote:
Flames1950 wrote:Fun gettin' "the zap" huh?
I always eye that bias pot funny, hate sticking a screwdriver sideways in there. Someone should track down bias pots that lay down so the screwdriver protrudes straight into the air out of the chassis, right George?
Im sure you can find one that will work from Mouser Electronics. Ill have a look at my mouser cd tonight and see if I can find something that will work. It doesn't have to be a side adjust does it George?

I'm sure you can too, I was just flippin' George crap for not thinkin' of it first......

Aaron0602 · Post by **Aaron0602** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 6:42 pm

owen291 wrote:Obviously I didn't get the memo on that "one hand in the amp, the other in your pocket" rule. Can someone elaborate more on this? Thanks!

Basically, don't have both hands in/near the amp. One hand in amp, one in pocket. Otherwise, the electricity will try to travel in through one arm, and out the other, zapping your heart real good along the way, possibly stopping it.