Quote:
Originally Posted by jh45gun
Get Bent you do not have to tell me about leaning into microphones and getting shocked since I am 8 years older I probably got nailed before you ever did. Yea its no bargain but even with 3 prong cords on amps I have been shocked if the outlet was not right ect. That is why my amp tech suggested the reverse plug method or the polarity switch a way to over come bad wireing.
|
I used to tour with a National Artist who shall remain nameless...as the Engineer, one of my jobs was to PROVE to him that he wouldn't be shocked by his mic while playing his guitar by doing it myself...
I spent many an afternoon tracking down the source of a "zap" on perfectly grounded systems....
That being said, I've used "ground lifts" MANY times, in crappy clubs AND basements and NOT had an issue....
The OP's info is correct, however....
If the outlet's not grounded, the amp's not grounded...but even if it is, there's no guarantee you won't get zapped, anyway....
Potential to ground is the key point, and its many times a "moving target"
Electricity ALWAYS seeks the path of least resistance....
Also, overloading of a single leg in a multiphase electrical system will cause "return" voltage on the neutral (a single neutral must carry a balance of all of its hots in a system, or it gets overloaded), which affects both the "hum" in an amp (no matter what you do, unless you even the load) and ground potential...