"TJ Hertz" wrote in message
k...
When I said "I've got a Japanese Akai S1000 sampler", I actually meant
"I'm
selling a Japanese Akai S1000 sampler for someone else". As a result, I
didn't know much about the unit and its condition.

But I asked the owner what she used to do with regards to power supply and
she gave me the transformer that she had been running it off for the past
7
years or so. Surprise surprise - it's a 240V to 115V transformer, and she
said the Akai always worked fine despite being labelled 100V. In other
words, she'd been using an incorrect transformer for years, but it worked
anyway.

A buyer emailed me today from eBay asking if the screen was still bright
or
if it had gone dim with age, so I plugged in the sampler using
aforementioned 115V transformer and promptly got an electric shock from an
area on the sampler's case where a bit of the paint had been scratched
off,
leaving bare metal. It is worth bearing in mind that I was barefoot and
standing on a concrete garage floor, but nevertheless, this shouldn't
happen. I plugged it in again and the same thing happened. However, when
turned on, the sampler worked fine - it just gave me a shock whenever I
touched the case (a sizeable electric shock, not like static). The owner
said that she'd never experienced this before despite using the sampler
with
the same transformer on a UK mains supply.

One thing I noticed about the unit was that it used a 2-pin power lead
with
apparently no earth. As in, the socket on the machine only had 2 pins, so
there was no option to use an earthed cable (even though the transformer
had
earthed sockets). What's the deal with this? Can anything be done?
Obviously
I can't sell a unit on eBay in Very Good Condition if it shocks you when
you
plug it in, even if it works fine otherwise.

Is my only option to sell it as-seen with a buyer warning?

Thanks,

--
tj hertz

It appears that the original usage was 240V to ground and the transformer is
an autotransformer. Using this transformer with a North American 240/120V
system could put the case at 120V with respect to ground.
If this unit is to be used with a transformer, it will require an isolating
(2 winding) 240/120V transformer and then the case can be grounded.

However, why use the transformer?

Why not connect directly to the 120V outlet. It will be necessary to
determine which lead is the neutral. You will need a voltmeter. If the case
is at 120 or so Volts to ground- reverse the wires to the plug. Check
again-you want a small or negligable voltage between case and ground. Then
set up the plug and leads accordingly (replacing the cord and plug to a 3
prong (hot, neutral and ground) is the best way.
If you have any doubts, a competent electrician can sort it out for you in a
short time- or you warn the potential buyer that it appears that the case is
tied to the neutral and you don't know which wire is neutral and leave the
correction to him/her. You don't want to be responsible for avoidable
injuries.
--
Don Kelly

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