11-05-2011, 02:45 PM
Insulating mains & HV connections: it was many years ago that I discovered the importance of this - the painful way! I was about 16 years of age at the time and had recently acquired my first serious short-wave radio: an Eddystone 888A - which I still have today. The valve rectifier had been replaced by a pair of BY100 diodes that were secured in an Octal valve base that simply plugged into the chassis-mounted valve socket, thus making this mod. reversible (in the best traditions).
Anyway, one day I was doing a spot of re-alignment and chose to rotate the set the right way up. Left-hand goes behind the back-drop to grab the chassis and a firm grip was made (Eddystone radios are heavy). Unfortunately, on account of a complete lack of insulation on the exposed lead-out wires of the diodes, one finger came into contact with a BY100 lead-out wire. My right-hand was firmly gripping the chassis . . . and the set was ON! Yow!
I was thrown back across the room, banged my head on something hard and was laid out unconscious for a few minutes (I think). Fortunately, the Eddystone (& I) survived 
. Soon after, I added a paxolin tube to the valve base to prevent a repetition of that accident. And I've been very conscious (pun not intended) of such a hazard ever since - especially when I look at the scar on my finger - which remains there to this day, 47 years later.
What was that about the most useful lessons in Life are learnt the hard way?
Al.
Anyway, one day I was doing a spot of re-alignment and chose to rotate the set the right way up. Left-hand goes behind the back-drop to grab the chassis and a firm grip was made (Eddystone radios are heavy). Unfortunately, on account of a complete lack of insulation on the exposed lead-out wires of the diodes, one finger came into contact with a BY100 lead-out wire. My right-hand was firmly gripping the chassis . . . and the set was ON! Yow!
I was thrown back across the room, banged my head on something hard and was laid out unconscious for a few minutes (I think). Fortunately, the Eddystone (& I) survived . Soon after, I added a paxolin tube to the valve base to prevent a repetition of that accident. And I've been very conscious (pun not intended) of such a hazard ever since - especially when I look at the scar on my finger - which remains there to this day, 47 years later.What was that about the most useful lessons in Life are learnt the hard way?
Al.
