[sdiy] Tube amp cap discharge tool?

[The Peasant]

> Sure but that's continuous duty. Where heat has time to build up and 
> hurt things.

Discharging a DC filter capacitor by shorting it stresses it in a number of 
ways, and it is stupid and dangerous to do this unneccesarily. There are 
capacitors designed for this type of use, but certainly not old tube amp 
capacitors.

>  Let me give you an example. Ordered from Parts express.....

Bob, your long stories are sometimes interesting, but you appear to be ignoring 
the important parts of what others are saying here. 

> Yeah and just pray the resistor isn't burnt out or you have a fault in 
the connections. 

You don't appear to be paying attention, Bob. As stated, you ALWAYS check the 
capacitor with a meter before touching the equipment. Praying won't help.

> Like I just 
> told John the ideal is put a current meter in line and all..

That is unneccesary and the peak current may damage the meter.

> However..while we're nit picking...

The only one that appears to be doing that is you. I'm just trying to 
discourage practices that I have been taught by professionals to be dangerous. 
I really don't want to see anybody here have any unfortunate accidents.

> When I see the energy being dissipated in the air, I know 
> it's being taken off the internals of the capacitor which is a good 
> thing.   Right?

No, not if you get injured or killed in the process.

> But like I say, I rest my case.  

On what? Your dangerous electrical practices based on your own "experience"? I 
suggest you sign up for a course in electrical safety.

> On sheer chance guesses I'm 
> horrible.  But when that background kicks in I usually make decent 
> choices regarding the safety of components and materials.  

I prefer to base my safety decisions on knowledge gained from other *qualified* 
professionals. Basing them on whatever sheer chance guesses haven't killed me 
yet just doesn't cut it.

> I don't 
> seriously believe anyone will hurt any capacitors rapid discharging them 

But you still don't get the point. It's a BAD IDEA for a number of different 
reasons, and recommending it to others on a DIY list makes it very much worse. 
And I do believe that you are wrong, somebody may well get hurt following your 
advice, at the very least it will probably result in the damage of some 
equipment. However, you don't appear to be hearing me or anyone else on this, 
so this will be my last post on the subject.

Please everyone, do not follow Bob's bad advice, always use an appropriate 
resistor to dissipate capacitors, and always check ANY high voltage circuit 
with a voltmeter before working on it.

Take care,
Doug
______________________
The Electronic Peasant

www.electronicpeasant.com