AMP SAFETY - Please read!

RVA said:
Not in and of itself, if the power is off. The real danger is getting new the filter/electrolylic capacitors regardless of what you are doing. They store charge. They generally look like this.

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Or maybe like this

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Read above for a full list of dangers
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We used to charge those up and them throw them to someone when I was in the USAF. It's a natural reaction to catch...:rolf::pound-hand::pound-hand:
 
eSGEe said:
I have an actual question--- how safe is just "swapping" tubes? Can you get BAZZAPed swapping the tubes???
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Now this is a good question. To answer it, well, it's highly unlikely, but (there's always a "but"), if your finger tips were to come into contact with the valve's "pins" while they were still partially inserted into the socket, then possibly, yes, as certain valve pins are connected to those nasty electrolytic "filter" caps. So just avoid touching the valve pins while removing the valve from the socket, or inserting a valve into the socket & you'll be fine. Cheers
 
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Trident said:
I used to do that with a cars condenser from the distributor...Lol

They will light ya up :pound-hand:
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Yes, they will. The "condenser" in the distributor is an electrolytic capacitor, just like the filter caps in an amp. The distributor's condenser charges to about 14V max & think of the boot it can give you. Now imagine one charged to 450V. These "electrolytic capacitors" act like a battery in that they can store a DC charge, however, while a battery can only discharge it's "charge" slowly, an electrolytic capacitor can deliver its whole charge almost instantaneously. Cheers
 
ivan H said:
Now this is a good question. To answer it, well, it's highly unlikely, but (there's always a "but"), if your finger tips were to come into contact with the valve's "pins" while they were still partially inserted into the socket, then possibly, yes, as certain valve pins are connected to those nasty electrolytic "filter" caps. So just avoid touching the valve pins while removing the valve from the socket, or inserting a valve into the socket & you'll be fine. Cheers
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WOW-- glad I asked!!!!!!!!!!!

SO how LONG can one of the little FILTER caps hold charge ---???
I mena -- IF I were to UNPLUG the amp -- say 3 DAYS from the weekend when I PLAN to swap said tubes----will the charge "naturally dissipate ? -- or is it trapped eternally -- so if I buy a 1972 Champ-- thats been on a shelf since 1998 ---and go to swap the (broken) tube before testing it...........could I get BAZZZApt?
 
eSGEe said:
WOW-- glad I asked!!!!!!!!!!!

SO how LONG can one of the little FILTER caps hold charge ---???
I mena -- IF I were to UNPLUG the amp -- say 3 DAYS from the weekend when I PLAN to swap said tubes----will the charge "naturally dissipate ? -- or is it trapped eternally -- so if I buy a 1972 Champ-- thats been on a shelf since 1998 ---and go to swap the (broken) tube before testing it...........could I get BAZZZApt?
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Oh, a healthy cap can hold the charge for quite some time. It will disipate slowly over time, but 3 days, man, it'll be still practically fully charged. Exactly how long it will hold it I can't honestly say, but I know from experience that they can still hold a charge after sitting for a month or more. Cheers
 
o.k. --- good to know-- thank you sir--Ill pay more attention -- so far I have survived the tube changes--are they REALLY potentially DEADLY or is it just like catching your dink in your zipper?
 
Vox AC30 said:
Just curiosity Chilli , The reasoning is what happens when I do this!
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HAHA I did the same thing but even scarier when I was a kid. I had heard of a short circuit. Once I went and made my own. Cut a length of power cord off an old lectric shaver and twisted the 2 ends together then plugged it in the wall outlet. That was one smokey stinky rubber insulation burnt mess I made.

Never did that again for sure.
 
eSGEe said:
o.k. --- good to know-- thank you sir--Ill pay more attention -- so far I have survived the tube changes--are they REALLY potentially DEADLY or is it just like catching your dink in your zipper?
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One of the above videos indicates that if you get zapped with both heart valves closed, they could stay that way. A man in my local just died working on his washing machine. Then again, some people survive lightning. So it is definitely potentially deadly, just not certainly deadly
 
Well,Im getting a 28' uhaul, 4 young dudes and moving all musical stuff off the beach. Theres a king tide happening right when the storm hits , we are 3 feet above sea level , Cat4 winds ="s washout of beach facing Atlantic Ocean. If the house don't flood good , if it does most valueable items saved! Not posted to get sympathy but just to inform!
 
Vox AC30 said:
Well,Im getting a 28' uhaul, 4 young dudes and moving all musical stuff off the beach. Theres a king tide happening right when the storm hits , we are 3 feet above sea level , Cat4 winds ="s washout of beach facing Atlantic Ocean. If the house don't flood good , if it does most valueable items saved! Not posted to get sympathy but just to inform!
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Good luck to you! And to anyone in the path of Dorian.
Don O said:
Well the mop handle was certainly used for safety :run: The only thing missing was the opening statement, “Hold my beer”....
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hahahaha! Yes! But it does effectively illustrate the speed and power on tap in a capacitor...like the ones in our amplifiers. Used to quick charge an electromagnetic coil, to launch a hard drive platter. What are they....like 3mm thick? He launched one freely that hung for about a four-count. That kind of juice is impressive...and deadly.
That gentleman in the video looks to me to be either a science teacher, or...
 
Got the truck, the ramp fits right over the front door threshold! I'm goin to Suntree to park the truck as it's gated …. but I want to take the 40 gts out and put the guitars inside at the house were staying at. The girl that lives there by herself was estatic as she had to stay by herself …. generator and gas w/ 10 days of good eating and of course enough beer to kill an elephant, or three, oh, and my gas grill w be going too ! The whole shebang less than 500 bucks and I got it for 10 daze ….. cheaper if less. How's that for motivation? And the girl is a looker too
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but I have a chaperon , my wife!!!! Thank God!
 
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