[Johnson] Fused Neutral Suicide

[Larry Rau]

David ---2CD is absolutely correct.

You shouldnt fuse the neutral side, because if that side blows.. the hot
side is still connected and acting as a land mine inside the radio.

If you attempt to service the radio in this "sneaker" condition, and it
remains grounded in any way ( such as through 3 wire cord, or coax to tuner,
or ground wire,.... then contact with the hot wire, and the chassis
completes the AC circuit..and you become the human light bulb, or dummy load
for your power company.

If not grounded in this way... and you contact something that is... same
deal.


That being said.... And I cant overstate the Murphy's Law and Law of
Unintended Consequences too strongly here...

IF  you are aware of the potential of this Sneaker Connection... eg. that an
apparently "dead" radio can still be HOT
inside....or Out.

AND

IF... you either remove any ground path -

AND

IF you have the presence of mind to pull the AC plug from the Wall

AND

IF  you have the presence of mind to check those original power plugs by
dissasembly and fuse testing. a hassel in anybodys book.

Then... you can keep you nice Johnson ( or heathkit)  with the fused plugs.
( yeah mine still are ..but I'm wrong)

However... on that sunny day, when it's nice to have a beer ( or two) and
the ranger or valiant craps out in the middle of a qso..and you find your
self with the coax connector in one hand... and the chassis of the
transmitter in the other...
and unbeknownst to you ( the telling phrase here)..... you have a line to
ground fault ( bad tvi bypass cap)  or a B+ to ground fault ( bad mod xfmr,
bad filter choke, bad power xfmr)....

Then lad... your body... right hand to left hand- through your heart---
becomes the path for 120VAC  or 650v DC
straight to ground...

Since I have done this myself.. I can only say.... don't.

Larry W6WUH