Girlfriend radio: Hallicrafters S-38A ! Any for sale?

[Christian Fandt]

Yep. And if it's a paper cap, it'll often be leaky as the dickens. No
criticism taken but I was talking of using _only_ an AC/DC set to do the
hot-chassis illustration to his girlfriend (or anybody else for that
matter). A rather dramatic illustration, which BTW eliminates the capacitor
influence, is to use a 120volt incandescent light bulb between the hot
chassis and the sink faucet. Any wattage bulb would do but a 100-watter
will light up brightly and drive the point of the shock risk home a bit
more so than a measly 40-watter.

Upon the date 04:42 PM 11/12/99 -0600, John jack M Iverson said something like:
>Note: this neon light test may not be valid as   --many-- ac radios with
>transformers have a capacitor from one side of the ac line to chassis.
> The neon will light when the plug is in the outlet at the proper
>polarity.
>   just a comment, not to criticize.   jack
>
>On Fri, 12 Nov 1999 16:30:01 -0500 Christian Fandt <cfandt at NETSYNC.NET>
>writes:
>> Upon the date 02:47 PM 11/12/99 -0500, Matt Stutterheim said
>> something like:
>> >Before you spring for an S-38 or any other AC-DC radio, remenber
>> they have a
>> >"hot" chassis if plugged in backwards (in those days the power
>> plugs were not
>> >polarized).
>> >
>> >Might I suggest a transformer powered radio instead? Or use of an
>> isolation
>> >transformer. Just in case she uses it it the kitchen or bath, and
>> touches a
>> >grounded pipe.
>> >
>>
>> Hmm, good point Matt. Maybe a little instruction and perhaps a
>> simple
>> experiment by Dave could illustrate your point well. It's simply
>> done by
>> setting the radio on the kitchen counter and using one of those
>> pocket neon
>> light AC voltage testers between the chassis and the faucet (or the
>> stainless steel countertop like in our kitchen). If it is a SS
>> counter, set
>> the radio on some newspapers or somesuch before plugging-in just in
>> case
>> the rubber foot mounting screws extend just a bit too far
>> [ga-zzzorp!] :-).

Regards,  Chris
-- --
Christian Fandt,         Electronic/Electrical Historian
Jamestown, NY  USA      cfandt at netsync.net
        Member of Antique Wireless Association
        URL: http://www.antiquewireless.org/