WTB Elmenco Plug

[John A Diefenbach, K1TLV]

Thinking about this (and I have these fused-plugs installed!) I NOW realize what happened when my EICO Model 730 (no fused-plug here but a regular, non-polarized 2-prong plug) was plugged in and the transmitter keyed; "*%&#@%!!".

I had forgotten to re-connect the separate ground ground connection and so when I keyed the mic w/my left hand and had my right hand on the (now plate-modulated) Seneca's chassis I got ZAPPED!

The once-stock EICO 730 2-prong, non-polarized line cord has been replaced w/a 3-prong line cord w/the green lead connected to ground.

I cannot agree more with Roy Morgan!  ...jd \\\
---- Roy Morgan <roy.morgan at NIST.GOV> wrote: 
> Quoting Ivan WB4LXR <MRNILES at AOL.COM>:
> 
> > Hi All
> >  
> > I'm looking for an Elmenco fused 2 prong AC plug. Any of  you have an extra 
> > you'd be willing to sell?
> 
> Ivan,
> 
> Be careful. It can kill you.
> Here's part of my diatribe on this:
> 
> 
> Roy's Diatribe on Fused Line Cord Plugs ....
> 
> Fused Line Cord Plugs:
> 
> Under no circumstances should you ever use a fused line cord plug, period.  It
> can kill you in a variety of ways.  The Johnson company put them on Rangers,
> Valiants, and other equipment.  I have a Heath VHF-1 6- and 2-Meter transmitter
> with one on it.  These line cords and fused plugs are the first thing to go
> when I start returning it to serviceable condition. Note that there seem to be
> two applications for fused line cord plugs: Electric fence energizers and
> decorative electric holiday candles and light strings.  The electric fence
> situation is based on long history, and safety may well rely on the idea that
> the case of the energizer is grounded with a ground rod to make the fence work
> properly.  The window candles and light strings have no chassis, no switch, no
> transformer, and very little exposure of energized conductors to people.
> 
> Some time ago I wrote imaginative but quite serious descriptions of some of the
> many ways fused line cords can make a widow out of your wife.  I want to
> re-write that thing and put in back into circulation, but that will have to
> wait for another day.
> 
> In summary, however, the way your wife gets to be a widow is as follows:
> 1) The equipment with the fused line cord plug suffers an internal short such as
> in a transformer or RFI bypass capacitor, with the short circuit more or less
> to the chassis.
> 2) ONE of the line cord plug fuses blows (almost never will both blow unless the
> fault is a dead short.)
> 3) You unplug the thing, unhook the "good station ground" wire and antenna, move
> the radio to a work bench to figure out what is wrong.  Notice that the ground
> you *might* have had on the chassis is removed. 
> 4) You plug it back in and unknowingly insert the unpolarized plug so the intact
> fuse puts line voltage on the chassis.
> 5) You reach for the power switch, the current kills you and your wife becomes a
> widow.
> 
> 
> This is a topic sure to generate much traffic on any radio mailing list. 
> People's attitudes seem to fall into four groups: 
> 
> 1) "Problem?  What problem?  There's no problem here." Duuuhhhh!
> 
> 2) "Originality forever."  To hell with the fact that it may kill me or someone
> else, I will use the original fused line cord and my equipment is authentic.
> 
> 3) "Hmmm..."  I'm glad to know about all this (but I may not DO anything to
> prevent my death or that of any other hapless and innocent person.)
> 
> 4) "But of course!"   Safety in line cords is easy to understand and worth
> paying attention to.  I'm going to get busy and fix this situation now.
>  
> 
> Be safe, live long. Do not use fused line cord plugs.  
> Install a three-wire grounded line cord, and make sure your outlets are working
> right.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Roy Morgan
> 13033 Downey Mill Road
> Lovettsville VA 20180
> 
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