Working around high voltages?

[Bernie Murphy]

A few more.

1. Always pull the plug out out of the power socket when working on power
supplies. No exceptions here.
2. Stand back and even better, use safety glasses when you discharge the
caps. If the bleeders are open and you discharge a high voltage capacitor
bank, you can loose an eye from hot molten copper (or from whatever material
you use for discharging the caps).
3. Work in a dry place. Avoid working in a damp area.. A good rubber mat
should help.
4. Never defeat safety interlocks especially if working with high power
linear power supplies.
5. Make sure that children do not have access to the area when you are
repairing power supplies. It is best to have a lockable master power switch
if small children are around.  Also, tell your spouse what you are doing and
how the cut the power off (see next point).
6. The breaker or fuse for your work area should be clearly labeled on the
panel. If there is a problem, you can get another party to safely turn off
the power.  Explain to your spouse (or other party)  where and how to turn
off the power.
7. Never leave an unprotected (exposed) power supply on if you leave the
workbench area. Turn off the power supply before you leave.
8. After you discharge the caps, check with your meter that there is indeed
no voltage present in any of the caps.  Some power supplies have many caps
so you need to check all circuits including low B+, high B+ and  bias. Make
sure to confirm that your meter is working!  Test it with a good battery to
make sure that the meter and the test leads are OK.  Do this small
verification test every time prior to putting you hands and tools into the
power supply area.

And,  as you said, when you work on high voltage equipment never consume 807
or 813 fluids.  Alcohol and power supplies do not mix well at all.

73 de Bernie, VE3FWF, Ottawa, Canada

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan KB7MBI" <ARDUJENSKI at AOL.COM>
To: <HEATH at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV>
Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 7:16 PM
Subject: Working around high voltages?


> Hopefully getting my first amp I will have the opportunity to work around
> some very high voltages. I am looking for some practices to keep in mind.
> Here are a few I would think of:
> --Discharge capacitors to ground
> --Don't work around high voltages when tired (or sipping a tall one)
> --How about wearing rubber gloves???
> and............
>
> There are old electricians and some bold electricians but no old bold
> electricians (smile). You who have been hams a long time are evidence of
> having some good practices. Can you pass along a few?
>
> Alan KB7MBI in Woodinville, WA
> FISTS 5702  Proud member of ARRL
> ___ ___ . . .      . . . ___ ___   DIT DIT
>
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