Discharging a tube amp?

[pitbull3825]

I now own two Palomar 300a amps. One has no tubes in it I have them and I have to wire up the transformer. But I do not know how to make sure I'm not gonna get ZAPPED I have herd horror stories please help?????

[Night Crawler]

Use a Chicken Stick from the HV point to ground to Discharge the Filter Caps.

[pitbull3825]

That is all Chinese to me. Laymen terms please.

['Doc]

Basically means an insulated handle on a shorting device. One end is connected to chassis ground, the other end you touch to the terminals of the capacitors, or the plate caps of the tubes. A common screw driver is a very common (and NOT smart) 'chicken-stick'. Touch shaft to chassis, tip to plate cap on tube. Almost a guarantied way of startling the sh_ _ out of you! Can also take a 'bite' out of that screw driver tip. Not a bad idea to do that shorting more than once, you know?
If you ever get 'bit' doing this sort of thingy you'll remember it for a very long time, IF you're very lucky...
- 'Doc

[Foxhunter]

Part of the danger or risk depends on the value of the capacitor(s) used. There are some large amplifiers that use very large "canister" capacitors (sometimes several in "a bank") and these kind especially really are high voltage capacitors.

You'd better watch it working on the big boys. Those discharge tools, aside from being called "chicken sticks"----are also sometimes called "Jesus Sticks". If you don't safely and properly discharge your capacitors and use them correctly----you'll be going off "to meet Jesus".




Foxhunter 351 NJ



Here's a short Youtube video on high voltage capacitors for your viewing fun.
I imagine an apple has about the same density and moisture content as a human finger.

[youtube][/youtube]

[KOA4705]

I now own two Palomar 300a amps. One has no tubes in it I have them and I have to wire up the transformer. But I do not know how to make sure I'm not gonna get ZAPPED I have herd horror stories please help?????

E = 1/2 * U^2 * C

Where
E = Energy in capacitor in joules
U = Voltage in capacitor in volts
C = Capacitor capacitance in farads

intuitively (.5) voltage C squared x Capacitance

Joe

[Night Crawler]

That is all Chinese to me. Laymen terms please.

Here's an article that shows the precautions to take when working on an amp that uses high voltage
and how to use a chicken stick.
[Please login or register to view this link]

[pitbull3825]

Man now I don't wanna do it at all. Ok who's gonna come over and do it for me? LOL No problem I think I have a very very good understanding on it now.

[KOA4705]

Hello All,
E = 1/2 * U^2 * C

Where
E = Energy in capacitor in joules
U = Voltage in capacitor in volts
C = Capacitor capacitance in farads

E= .5 x U squared x C

Joe

[KOA4705]

Just a quick note:
E = 1/2 * U^2 * C

Where
E = Energy in capacitor in joules
U = Voltage in capacitor in volts
C = Capacitor capacitance in farads
Joe

[Night Crawler]

Man now I don't wanna do it at all. Ok who's gonna come over and do it for me? LOL No problem I think I have a very very good understanding on it now.

Don't worry you'll be alright if your careful.
I got hit with 800 volts once lucky it was low current, that will wake you up better then a cup of coffee

[Evil_Wind]

Holy OUCH !