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Re: general question re polarized ac plugs on receivers as shipped originally

 

On Tue, Jan 10, 2023 at 03:21 AM, Craig Delmage wrote:
Makes me wonder what the internal electrical situation was when you plugged it in one way, versus the other.
===END QUOTE,? BEGIN COMMENT====
as I tried to finish this comment, I am reminded that what triggered this question and this specific comment? was the S-40? topic so this is specifically for the S-40 model and many others ?
these comments are addressed to those who are not too familiar with electronic circuits and may have similar questions ....?
If that "cap wired from the plug to the chassis" did not exist, there would in theory be no difference if the AC plug is reversed other than for the transformer primary and the power switch and so only a very small concern,
But given that the cap exist:
  1. [call it normal desired] the incoming AC hot wire gets connected to the switch while the neutral? wire gets connected to the cap which tends to take the chassis to neutral/real ground?? .. and the condition of the cap hardly matters, so only little concern.
  2. [call it reversed] the incoming AC neutral wire gets connected to the switch and the hot wire gets connected to the cap which tends to take the chassis to 117 VAC? [the? chassis is going to tend to float] ??
  • under new-capacitor conditions, the current thru the cap will not be much, and will easily be swamped by the ground wire? on the antenna TB? if it is connected but otherwise could give you a tingle if your feet are "grounded"
  • ... but if that cap leaks/shorts the cap will strongly tend? to take the chassis to 117 VAC ... it will be a fight between the 117AC and any antenna TB ground[possible smoke etc], but if the chassis is not grounded? and you touch the cabinet/chassis? it all depends on how isolated you are from ground at that time, and how dry your skin is too.
BTW: this is why I like to see the neutral always connected to that capacitor and the hot to that switch, so always plug it in that way, or just make the plug polarized to prevent this problematic situation, but then as i must have babbled elsewhere; why is the cap there? a real question; not yet rhetoric.
73 don? VA3DRL
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