Trevor Wilson wrote:

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The N. Cook thread got me to thinking about some of the worst customers
I've had in this business.



** IME, the very worst customers are DJs.

First one I ever dealt with was a pommy called Dave.

He asked me to build him a "Musicolour" - a four channel music to light intensity device using triacs. These were available as kits from various suppliers after publication of the design in a hobby electronics magazine.

I assembled a kit and made a very professional job of it too, if I may say so.

After Dave had been using it for a couple of weeks he suddenly turned up in my workshop, the unit under his arm and **fuming with anger**.

He claimed I had tried to kill him, as the Musicolour had delivered him a terrifying electric shock from the case.

I took his claim very seriously as he was hovering over me and looked ready to biff me at any moment.

I first checked continuity from the ground pin of the 3 pin plug to the all metal case, it was good. I commented that he could not possibly have received a shock from the case - but Dave did not take this well, it made him madder.

Then I carefully quizzed him on the exact sequence of events:

Seems the unit was not operating so he decided to check the 10 amp supply fuse fitted in a cartridge holder on the back. It was then that he got the nasty shock.

The final revelation was the unit was plugged in at the time and Dave had one hand on the metal case while extracting the fuse with the other. He removed the screw off cap and then went for the fuse with his fingertips.

When I tried to explain that fuses should only be removed with the unit un-plugged he exploded at me saying he knew what he was doing and turned off the power with the front panel switch.

Oh dear........


..... Phil