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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.
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burns.riley6mo 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.
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baker.stella6mo 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.
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