TIL why skipping the discharge step on old gear is a bad idea

I was working on a vintage radio from the 70s last month (a real beauty, by the way), and I thought I had it safe after unplugging. But when I went to test the power supply board, I got a real jolt from a big capacitor. It stung my fingers and made me drop my screwdriver. After that, I learned that capacitors can keep charge for days, even weeks. Now I use a simple resistor to bleed them off before I do any work. It only takes a minute and saves a lot of pain. I also check with a multimeter to be sure. Don't make the same mistake I did, always discharge those things first.

2 comments

2 Comments

burns.riley7h ago

How bad did that jolt actually feel? I mean, I got a real nasty tingle off a filter cap in an old amp once and it totally surprised me, my whole arm went weird for a second. It definitely makes you a lot more careful after that happens. Now I'm paranoid and check everything twice with the meter.

baker.stella7h ago

Remember that charge rarely lasts weeks in practice. Most caps in old radios will self discharge in a few hours to a couple days. Still, always check with your meter because it only takes one.