Smash
Hack
But a good way to take out the charge of them first is unplug it and turn on power and standby.
R
Robostyle
Well-known member
I have no idea, i bring it to people smarter than me to deal with.
heinz_57
Member
Looks ancient, get the 3 prong installed, or maybe just yoink the tubes and see if they sound good in something else?
phillybhatesme
Well-known member
Ahh shit, my friend has an old amp with a two-prong cord. He's been meaning to take it to get rewired. I assume most places that work on stereos and TVs and electronics can probably get that sorted.
P
PatF
Active member
A widowmaker does not have a power transformer so it is not isolated from the AC. I think the only fix is putting a 1:1 isolation transformer in it. Not too big a deal for a qualified tech.
They are considered to be pretty fukn dangerous.
They are considered to be pretty fukn dangerous.
R
raiken
Active member
They can vaporize the ground lead on your expensive Tektronix oscilloscope probe, too.
Don't ask me how I know.
Don't ask me how I know.
nightlight
Well-known member
Fryette gives a two pronged plug for their PS-2, strangely enough. I just took a three prong AC cord and use that instead.
The real danger with nails on your feet is if you accidentally bump into furniture. It's excruciatingly painful.
The real danger with nails on your feet is if you accidentally bump into furniture. It's excruciatingly painful.
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
Dude I learned this the hard way !
nightlight
Well-known member
When I was a kid playing football (soccer) barefoot in our yard, I kicked at the ball but instead struck the ground with my toe. They had to yank the whole toenail out. I remember bawling, and how hard it was to walk for weeks after that.
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
This reminds of playing soccer barefoot and I stepped on big piece of glass . I was 5 . Got a shit ton of stitches
japetus
Well-known member
Yes and it shocked the ever living shit out of me. BE VERY CAREFUL!!!
glpg80
Well-known member
Supply side is likely tranformerless as previously stated.
A gut shot would go a long way. But either way you’ll need to send to a tech to have it properly earthed and fused. Do not turn it on to play it.
A gut shot would go a long way. But either way you’ll need to send to a tech to have it properly earthed and fused. Do not turn it on to play it.
shredi knight
Well-known member
Fixed (revised edition)
Last edited:
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
Dm me lol
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
I played it once
glpg80
Well-known member
I played it once
It’s a 50/50 chance you plug AC hot in the spot for ground and ground in for your wall AC hot. Then the chassis is hot and the circuit is grounded and the damn thing still works but you’ll cook yourself the second you touch anything grounded on the amp and what’s super dangerous is nothing is fused on those from the factory so you get the whole 15A breaker until you let go.
That is why they call them the widowmaker.
It can defibrillate your heart into arrhythmia and you’ll have to go to the emergency room to get your heart shocked back into proper beat. It isn’t just the electrocution but the fact the current is unfused.
They’re super dangerous and a liability. Get it to an experienced tech that can make it safe to play and bring it up to code.
Techdeth
RESIDENT ROCK PROFESSOR
Ok . Thanks man fr. I won’t fuck with it again fr . Holy shit . I’ll be honest I got a weird zap . I think my old tech wanted me dead . He said have fun . It’s ok to play ???
Who’s lol
I swear on my life I’m listening to DOA by Van Halen while I began to read this
I’ll take this as a sign
311boogieman
Well-known member
That's fucked up dude. I'd take this thing out back and shoot it.
Thanks for that explanation.
rstites
Well-known member
I look at all those classic amps with 2-prong cords and the polarity switch on the back and am just amazed at how we don't have more stories of guys dying from them. The only way to really know is to touch the chassis and flip the switch if you're getting shocked.....which really doesn't seem like the ideal way to approach things IMO. (I'll grant that it sounds like this particular amp has potentially more issues than just that, but that's enough for me!)
I have been shocked a few times when the backline was on a different circuit than the PA and must have been wired by someone's uncle for beer money. That sucks. It's what drove me to buy my initial wireless system - nothing to do with being able to dance on stage. I just wanted to be isolated from the backline.
japetus
Well-known member
I will pull the chassis on mine later and show innards for anyone interested. I really would like to maybe fix this amp up and use it someday, but right now I'd rather take my chances sticking my dick in a vat of acid. That shock was pretty hard.
