[ARC5] Hallicrafters S-38 is dangerous

[D C _Mac_ Macdonald]

Hallicrafters, National, Hammarlund, Swan, Drake, Davco, Collins, etc. did not, would not, or could not compete with the onslaught of the Yaesu, Kenwood, Icom equipment that offered greater and greater features and even performance at lower prices. 
 
It's now happening to the Japanese big-three from products produced cheaply in China.  So far, the Chinese stuff is mostly of lower quality and reliability of the Japanese stuff, but they are coming on strongly. 
 
Additionally, the shenanigans of management and accountants intentionally lowered quality and reliability and the customers soon got wise and voted with their wallets. 
 
And unlike the US auto industry which ended up in the same boat, the ham equipment business did not have a rich Uncle Sam to ride in to the rescue with bailouts. 
 
* * * * * * * * * * * 
* 73 - Mac, K2GKK/5 * 
* (Since 30 Nov 53) * 
* k2gkk hotmail com * 
* Oklahoma City, OK * 
* USAF & FAA (Ret.) * 
* * * * * * * * * * * 
 

 
> Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2015 07:24:25 -0500
> From: mark.k3msb at gmail.com
> CC: arc5 at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [ARC5] Hallicrafters S-38 is dangerous
> 
> >>No wonder they are not around anymore.
> 
> Still waiting to see how this issue caused the demise of the Hallicrafters
> company.
> 
> Mark K3MSB
> On Nov 17, 2015 4:34 AM, <hwhall at compuserve.com> wrote:
> 
> > >
> > Those old wax/paper caps are electrically leaky and couple the "hot
> > chassis" B- buss to
> > the metal cabinet. If it shorts, the cabinet could have the full mains
> > potential. Bad things can happen...
> > >
> >
> > I'm getting confused maybe. Are y'all using 'chassis' and 'cabinet' words
> > the same? IIRC from when I safed my S-38E, one side of the line cord via
> > the on-off switch connected to the B- buss & the buss was cap (& resistor
> > in parallel) coupled to the chassis but the chassis was insulated from the
> > cabinet by non conductive fittings so that the metal cabinet was floating.
> >
> >
> >
> > Wayne
> > WB4OGM