25-09-2012, 09:37 AM
(This post was last modified: 25-09-2012, 09:43 AM by Old Sparky.)
With all due respect to both Mark and Lawrence, the Westminster, like many other record players(and other things)of that day was originally fitted with a two-core(non 'polarised') mains lead, which could have led to the amplifier metalwork being 'live' if the plug was wired incorrectly. The owner's son had, he told me, removed the original lead, connected a 3-core one, using terminal blocks to join the live & neutral(the correct way round0, then attached the earth lead to the record deck metalwork rather crudely, by just baring the end, twisting the strands together and fastening them via the screw securing a metal cable clamp. IMHO the player would DEFINITELY have failed a PAT test under those circumstances, as well as emitting a very loud hum. In this player the mains neutral is common to the DC Negative line, the only thing to do was to use a 2-core mains lead, correctly wired and soldered to the on-off switch contacts, which I did by cutting off the earth lead inside the player. I don't know of many that were fitted with isolating capacitors when new, as shown in the diagram posted by Joe(Of what make/model is that the circuit, as a matter of interest?) I should add that, although one side of the P.U. cartridge wiring is connected to the common negative, and thus to mains neutral, which is also the chassis of the AMPLIFIER, it is isolated from the record deck metalwork. The Volume & Tone Controls have plastic spindles, and no part of the amplifier metalwork is touchable when the player is reassembled,
As a matter of interest, many sets, especially AC/DC types would surely fail a PAT test as originally manufactured?
As a matter of interest, many sets, especially AC/DC types would surely fail a PAT test as originally manufactured?
