Shock from amp...after being unplugged

Kittyfrisk

Context is everything 

sgosden

just make sure you bridge your finger across the pins at EXACTLY the same time, so the caps discharge through your finger to earth, and not through your body. finger will be tingly and you can do an ET impression as it glows....

TeleMaster

And what about the part you plug the cord into?

I’m just wondering if I need to hide the amp away because of my young son. 

It’s a Carol-Ann Tucana 3r head. 

Kittyfrisk

^ If you are concerned about safety, you could try getting one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IEC-FEMALE-CONNECTOR-MAINS-POWER-PLUG-DISCO-LIGHTS/300341410892?epid=1853209606&hash=item45edbe3c4c:g:AgkAAOSww3tY3N3o

It works to blank the pins off from accidental contact with fingers.
It isn't tamperproof, but it is a cost effective way to ease your mind.

Edit: Obviously it isn't wired up to anything 

ICBM

TeleMaster said:

And what about the part you plug the cord into?

I’m just wondering if I need to hide the amp away because of my young son. 

It’s a Carol-Ann Tucana 3r head. 

It's unlikely to have that sort of filter on the input - I've only worked on one Carol-Ann and I can't remember, but most valve amps don't have them. Test it yourself - it won't kill you, and it won't hurt *that* much if you're ready for it - and if you don't feel anything it's safe to leave it out.

TeleMaster

I tried it on both ends and I’m alive!!!

skunkwerx

I tried it on my katana just to see. Nothing. But its not valve so I'm not surprised haha. 

Kinda puts me off going valve/tube though a little even though it seems not exactly dangerous.. 

ICBM

skunkwerx said:

I tried it on my katana just to see. Nothing. But its not valve so I'm not surprised haha. 

Kinda puts me off going valve/tube though a little even though it seems not exactly dangerous.. 

No... other way round. This kind of filter/spike suppressor is more common in modern solid-state amps than valve ones.

skunkwerx

ICBM said:

skunkwerx said:

I tried it on my katana just to see. Nothing. But its not valve so I'm not surprised haha. 

Kinda puts me off going valve/tube though a little even though it seems not exactly dangerous.. 

No... other way round. This kind of filter/spike suppressor is more common in modern solid-state amps than valve ones.

Ah interesting! In that case glad I didnt get a shock haha! 

impmann

I can't remember which amp I had back in the day that did this - but I used to unplug it and touch the pins onto a radiator or similar to discharge it before packing it up post gig. Used to get quite a spark sometimes!! :-)

midlifecrisis

i discovered this many years ago but not from an amp, but some other electrical equipment, cant remember what it was. but since then ive always been wary of touching connected 3 pin plugs.  

sev112

ICBM said:

TeleMaster said:

And what about the part you plug the cord into?

I’m just wondering if I need to hide the amp away because of my young son. 

It’s a Carol-Ann Tucana 3r head. 

It's unlikely to have that sort of filter on the input - I've only worked on one Carol-Ann and I can't remember, but most valve amps don't have them. Test it yourself - it won't kill you, and it won't hurt *that* much if you're ready for it - and if you don't feel anything it's safe to leave it out.

Blimey I won’t even lick the end of a battery these days !

LastMantra

I just got a wee shock from my hoover. Was tiny.

ecc83

Quite a nasty shock could be had from a crt TV. If you had a sweaty T shirt on and had the screen on your belly then touched the aerial socket. Obviously the set had to have been working a while before. Nearly dropped the fekker!

Dave.

dano

It's poor design in the mains suppression filter.  Any decent designer would fit  a bleed resistor approx 100k across the L-N to drain the  capacitor that's giving the shock.

ICBM

dano said:

It's poor design in the mains suppression filter.  Any decent designer would fit  a bleed resistor approx 100k across the L-N to drain the  capacitor that's giving the shock.

The problem with that would be the necessary 1W resistor for the over .5W dissipation and the associated heating. It doesn’t sound like a lot but inside an enclosed filter module it could be.

It would be much better simply to have any filtering on the equipment side of the power switch.

TeleMaster

I just got a power amp to use with my Kemper Stage. 

I stopped using it, unplugged it and got a shock from the pins. 

I then remembered this thread. 

I checked, and yep. I got the same power amp as the OP. The Powerstage 170. 

I checked, and I wasn’t able to get a shock from the amp end, but if it was still connected I would get one from the plug end. 

Darwin awards all round?

digitalscream

TeleMaster said:

Darwin awards all round?

Honourable Mentions, I think, on the basis that we're still breathing.

Bet it sounded great before you shocked yourself though, right?

TeleMaster

digitalscream said:

TeleMaster said:

Darwin awards all round?

Honourable Mentions, I think, on the basis that we're still breathing.

Bet it sounded great before you shocked yourself though, right?

Well, it still sounds good. My hand is just tingling now so whether or not I will sound good, is a different matter. 

I guess just unplug from the unit first, and that’ll be the safety precaution. Or chase my band mates around the rehearsal room with my new cattle prod?

digitalscream

TeleMaster said:

digitalscream said:

TeleMaster said:

Darwin awards all round?

Honourable Mentions, I think, on the basis that we're still breathing.

Bet it sounded great before you shocked yourself though, right?

Well, it still sounds good. My hand is just tingling now so whether or not I will sound good, is a different matter. 

I guess just unplug from the unit first, and that’ll be the safety precaution. Or chase my band mates around the rehearsal room with my new cattle prod?

Actually, the best option is to switch off at the mains first (ie before switching off on the unit). Leave it a second or two and then unplug from the mains, and you're good to go. Just remember to make sure the unit's switch is off before you plug it in next time.

I've got into that habit, and no shocks thus far.