Fortunatly, I'm not refrerring to an AC/DC shock but am serious about getting SHOCKED every time I touch my tube amp and even the CD Player that is connected to it.
The volume control knob is aluminium and the on/off toggle switch is rubber covered.
It is very dis-comforting. Everytime I go to adjust the volume and even to turn the amp off it gives me a sizable static shock!
Would anyone have any ideas on why this is happening and any suggestions as to what I can do to stop it happening?
Regards
Will😡
The volume control knob is aluminium and the on/off toggle switch is rubber covered.
It is very dis-comforting. Everytime I go to adjust the volume and even to turn the amp off it gives me a sizable static shock!
Would anyone have any ideas on why this is happening and any suggestions as to what I can do to stop it happening?
Regards
Will😡
nylon carpet and cotton clothing
=5kv static charge. The amp etc are earthed, and form a discharge circuit. Worse if its hot and dry weather.
=5kv static charge. The amp etc are earthed, and form a discharge circuit. Worse if its hot and dry weather.
Hi and thanks, aardvarkash10.
Thing is I have tile floors, no carpet or rug. I've also tried wearing different shoes, rubber and leather soles.
Still, I get shocked everytime I touch the amp. Sometimes it is quite a jolt.
I am going to try re-arranging the plugs.
I may end up replacing the aluminium volume control knob with a wooden one but that is not really solving the problem is it?
Ha, I just noticed you're in Auckland. I've recently returned to the US after having lived in NZ for 20 years. I love New Zealand. Small world.
Cheers
Thing is I have tile floors, no carpet or rug. I've also tried wearing different shoes, rubber and leather soles.
Still, I get shocked everytime I touch the amp. Sometimes it is quite a jolt.
I am going to try re-arranging the plugs.
I may end up replacing the aluminium volume control knob with a wooden one but that is not really solving the problem is it?
Ha, I just noticed you're in Auckland. I've recently returned to the US after having lived in NZ for 20 years. I love New Zealand. Small world.
Cheers
Do you happen to have a microfiber couch? 😀
I had one CD player that would "reboot" every time I static-shocked it. It would drop the spinning CD on the platter and completely flip out. Not cool
I had one CD player that would "reboot" every time I static-shocked it. It would drop the spinning CD on the platter and completely flip out. Not cool
Hi Jon
Actually, I do have a Microfiber office chair that is my main chair that I sit in this room. It is the one I get up from to go and adjust the volume or turn the amp off.
It is a pretty tired old chair though, not much micro fiber left on the arms. Good suggestion and point though.
And yes, it is not cool. Quite annoying actually.
Thanks
Actually, I do have a Microfiber office chair that is my main chair that I sit in this room. It is the one I get up from to go and adjust the volume or turn the amp off.
It is a pretty tired old chair though, not much micro fiber left on the arms. Good suggestion and point though.
And yes, it is not cool. Quite annoying actually.
Thanks
Sounds like "real" electricity to me too...
I'd check it with a DMM...you can put the neg lead in the screw terminal on a ground lift adapter. I'd imagine that something is accidentally shorted to chassis, or your house may be wired improperly.
I'd check it with a DMM...you can put the neg lead in the screw terminal on a ground lift adapter. I'd imagine that something is accidentally shorted to chassis, or your house may be wired improperly.
that was my first thought - live-neutral swap somewhere with a 2-pin power cord. Systematic testing with a DMM will confirm or otherwise.
Hi tweeker
It shocks me everytime I touch it.
That is, either I or the Amp builds up charge.
When it first gives me a shock and I touch it immediatly afterwards then it will not. It takes a couple of minutes to build up.
Therefore, I have gotten into the habbit of sort of hitting it quickly, the voulme knob, then adjusting the volume, so as to not get such a shock, but it is still uncomfortable.😡
It shocks me everytime I touch it.
That is, either I or the Amp builds up charge.
When it first gives me a shock and I touch it immediatly afterwards then it will not. It takes a couple of minutes to build up.
Therefore, I have gotten into the habbit of sort of hitting it quickly, the voulme knob, then adjusting the volume, so as to not get such a shock, but it is still uncomfortable.😡
well that's pretty conclusive - it's ESD.
I would suspect your clothes creating static against the fabric of the chair. I had a pair of rubber sports shoes that had perfect isolation. I could charge me up to many KV - ouch. Don't wear them any more.
Are you a natural cotton kinda guy or a acrylic/man-made fiber kinda guy? Changing to natural fibers is expensive (depends on wardrobe)
A conductive (relatively) fabric over the chair may help - perhaps even grounded.
Howabout a bit grounding ball in the middle of the room. Take the discharge to a less sensitive part of the body (elbow, palm) before you touch the knob. 😀
A wooden knob will just move the discharge point to a possibly more sensitive node (i.e. destroy your chips)
A remote control may be the best solution.😎
I would suspect your clothes creating static against the fabric of the chair. I had a pair of rubber sports shoes that had perfect isolation. I could charge me up to many KV - ouch. Don't wear them any more.
Are you a natural cotton kinda guy or a acrylic/man-made fiber kinda guy? Changing to natural fibers is expensive (depends on wardrobe)
A conductive (relatively) fabric over the chair may help - perhaps even grounded.
Howabout a bit grounding ball in the middle of the room. Take the discharge to a less sensitive part of the body (elbow, palm) before you touch the knob. 😀
A wooden knob will just move the discharge point to a possibly more sensitive node (i.e. destroy your chips)
A remote control may be the best solution.😎
I also had an absolutely maddening problem with static shocks and my HT receiver a few years ago in the wintertime. I put in an oversized humidifier on my central heating and the problem went away.
If you have a tile floor are you walking a crossed it in your sock if so take's off.
I don't understand how the chassis can build a charge if it's grounded though.
I don't understand how the chassis can build a charge if it's grounded though.
Carry a key, nail, or other small pointed metal object with you. Touch the tip of the pointed metal object to the volume knob before you adjust it. Problem gone.
I'd still check basic safety, just to be sure. You say it's a tube amp so there's a 300-500V rail in there somewhere. Leakage is a nasty parasite.
I think it would be prudent to ohm out the connection between chassis/volume knob and mains plug ground pin. (and possibly volume knob and B+)
I think it would be prudent to ohm out the connection between chassis/volume knob and mains plug ground pin. (and possibly volume knob and B+)
The chassis does not build up a charge, the person builds up a charge. The chassis provides a path to ground for the charge on the person to flow to.
The 2 best solutions mentioned so far are humidity and a sharp discharge object like a key, or a pen. The humidity to reduce or prevent entirely the buildup of charge in the first place, and the key or pen so that the spark occurs between the pen and the chassis, and not your finger and the chassis.
I used to get zapped all the time, but we have had record rainfall this year, humidity is way up, and I havent been zapped in it seems like 7 or 8 months, so I can reccommend the humidity solution.
One of the other contributors here (forget his name) has a tag line that recommends the perfect solution to your ESD problem. "Make sure your tin foil hat is well grounded!"
However, while that will work perfectly to prevent for ES charge buildup, if you ever touch a chassis hot with line AC you could get electrocuted through your hat.
Why does it smell like ham in here?
However, while that will work perfectly to prevent for ES charge buildup, if you ever touch a chassis hot with line AC you could get electrocuted through your hat.
Why does it smell like ham in here?
I had this problem with our Laser Airborne Depth Sounder System in an Aircraft. It got to the stage that I simply was'nt game to touch anything.
Our solution was to spray seats and carpets with an anti-static preparation.
This was available in a spray can from the local domestic carpet supplier. Buy yourself a can and spray that chair. I had to ring around 3 or 4 carpet suppliers till I found one which had the stuff in stock.
Cheers,
Ian
Our solution was to spray seats and carpets with an anti-static preparation.
This was available in a spray can from the local domestic carpet supplier. Buy yourself a can and spray that chair. I had to ring around 3 or 4 carpet suppliers till I found one which had the stuff in stock.
Cheers,
Ian
May be it is the time to buy a home air humidifier?
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=humidifier&category0=
In recording studio in Irkutsk (Siberia) they had 2 inch high carpets, so every time recording technicians were coming to move microphones they had to touch them very carefully expecting the shock that follows for sure. Poor ladies...
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=humidifier&category0=
In recording studio in Irkutsk (Siberia) they had 2 inch high carpets, so every time recording technicians were coming to move microphones they had to touch them very carefully expecting the shock that follows for sure. Poor ladies...
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