[sdiy] Tube amp cap discharge tool?

[Bob Weigel]

Ken...it works for me.  Why should I change just because a bunch of 
other people have opinions? I am not asking anyone to do it my way. Do 
it your way. I view my way good simply because I have to make a living, 
there are only so many hours in a day and I have to pick my battles.  I 
don't understand why this is such an emotional topic.    I rarely get 
sparks anyway because I'm in tube amps that usually have drain 
resistors.    Now if I HAPPEN to be holding a meter...then I just 
measure...and if I measure zero I wonder if my meter is working and I 
jam a screwdriver across it anyway JUST TO MAKE SURE.  Cuz that's just 
the kind of guy I am :-). Ok?  I've been shocked by 400 some volts on 
these things in my earlier days.  I'm absent minded.  We all need to 
find something that works reliably for us.  I won't tell YOU how to do 
it and you don't black list me or whatever..unless...that's just the 
kind of guy you are.  OK? -bob

Ken Stone wrote:

>Truly what we are arguing about here has nothing to do with what is right or
>not, but if YOU specifically are right or not, and from your comments is it
>plain to see that you are incapable of acknowledging that you are anything
>but right.
>
>Thank you Mr "Always" Right.
>
>Ken (modifies black list)
>
>  
>
>>:-) I'd love to argue this the rest of my life..but we're talking a 
>>concept called 'straining out gnats' here.  I've done it for years.  
>>Nothing has been hurt.  Truly. customers would tell me if their amps 
>>dropped out. I'm really GOOD about that.  I find out what I'm doing 
>>wrong by writing rigorous invoices and I can tell if a capacitor were to 
>>have failed where I might potentially have done something to start it 
>>down the bad road.  As it is..no such incident. ALL CAP FAILURES in the 
>>decade I've been doing work on tube amps have been first timers.  Never 
>>has anything come into my shop with a dead capacitor that I had 
>>previously worked on except one or two where the customer said 'leave 
>>the old ancient ones, I dont' have money to fix now' and then they bring 
>>it back later.  I recall that maybe once. Nearly everyone here just has 
>>me replace old ones when in question.  ENd of story.  I have no further 
>>input to the topic. It works for me. If others choose not to do it 
>>fine.  My repair bills will continue to be cheaper then because I waste 
>>less time in the process of things like this. If you don't want your 
>>caps cro-barred..dont' bring the amp to me.  I'm fine with that :-)  -Bob
>>
>>The Peasant wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>>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
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>_______________________________________________________________________
>Ken Stone   sasami at hotkey.net.au or sasami at cgs.synth.net
>Modular Synth PCBs for sale <http://www.blaze.net.au/~sasami/synth/>
>Australian Miniature Horses & Ponies <http://www.blaze.net.au/~sasami/>
>
>
>
>  
>