On Friday, November 2, 2018 at 8:07:28 PM UTC-4, Phil Allison wrote:
John Robertson wrote:



I know of no jukebox amp that had plug in capacitors. I agree that a
theatre amp is most likely - I too would enjoy seeing photos of these
amps you have!


** The idea of using high voltage, plug-in electros seems quite unsafe.

At the very least, the outside metal case would have to be well insulated so a user would not receive a serious shock if a charged cap was withdrawn from the socket.

Even then, some of the octal pins would be hot while others would be connected to the metal case.

Sounds like some amp builder's ones clever idea that is a bit too clever.



.... Phil


Using bleeders would reduce any shock potential. A big commercial amp would have plenty of room for them. As long as some novice didn't pull the electro with the amp powered up a loaded cap wouldn't be a problem.

A way of making them safer would be to use longer pins on the ground connections (or deeper socket pins for the B+ connections) so the B+ would break before the ground disconnected in case someone pulled one out of a powered up chassis. The cap would remain charged but the tech wouldn't be connected to the live B+ through the cap.

In any case, I do remember in the old tube/valve TV days when low end TVs that didn't use power transformers did have a hot electro on an isolated phenolic base. Those electros had heavy cardboard sleeves well bonded to the can for safety reasons. Never saw one of those come apart.