[sdiy] HV cap discharging re-revisited

[anthony]

I am in the process of designing a new amp in the near-gutted chassis of a 
Wards Airline radio that uses a 6V6-GT output tube and a 5Y3-GT rectifier. 
I'm sure I've mentioned it a few times...

Today I had everything disconnected from the power supply except the first 
filter cap. to see what recified voltage coming off the cathode was (about 
330VDC after warm-up). I had planned to discharge the cap using an ordinary 
lightbulb - I even prepared a special socket with big alligator clips (too 
big really). So when I used it, nothing happened. And I should have known 
nothing would happen because I let it sit for 2 hours, turned off connected 
to my DMM, which showed 0V right before I disconnected it. So, duh! If I'm 
not in a big hurry, can't I just let my DMM discharge the cap and I can 
watch it go to 0-ish. What IS a safe DC voltage to let a cap get to? I mean 
you can melt metal with 9 volts and a 50,000 uF cap. My guess, for the 
circuits I'm working with, is below 50 VDC. But you can still really feel 50 
volts - nothing like getting bit by 400 volts (which I have - fortunately I 
was not grounded and it was an ever so slight brush to a charged cap in a 
circuit that was turned off - so it may not have been the full voltage...) 
and REALLY nothing like getting bit by a mini-bike magneto (that fucking 
stings!).

What DID we decide was the best way to discharge caps - if one's in a bit of 
a rush, that is. I remember someone offered their ex-wife?


cheers,
aa