2 to 3 prong conversion for Fender Champ no ground switch

[rivamonte]

Hello everyone! I have searched hi and lo for some one who explains how to replace the two prong cord with the 3 prong grounded cord for a 5F1 Fender Champ. Mine is 1958 and I have no ground switch which appears in so many diagrams. I've squinted through Ebay photos and googled images of boards and just cannot make a clear decision on the subject.

Is it safe to assume that if I do not have it(ground switch) then proceed continue to connect the wires as if it not there:

1. Green to power transformer lug bolt.
2. Black to Fuse end - then other fuse terminal to bottom of AC switch - Power transormer blakcwire to top AC switch
3. White to power transformer black wire - solder together cap or heat shrink.
4. Remove death cap.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated. I have a few days before the amp arrives and I do not want to plug it in as it is.
Thank you and Happy Holidays!!!

Mike

[The Dude]

Seems all correct with the exception of using a transformer bolt for ground. This is not recommended. The AC ground should be it's own entity. I personally like to solder them to the chassis, although this does take some heat. I've got a big solder gun for these kinds of things. Some smaller irons just don't get hot enough. Sans that, use another screw/nut set and I recommend star washers and/or those nuts that have the neoprene inserts so that it doesn't loosen up.

[big_teee]

Hello everyone! I have searched hi and lo for some one who explains how to replace the two prong cord with the 3 prong grounded cord for a 5F1 Fender Champ. Mine is 1958 and I have no ground switch which appears in so many diagrams. I've squinted through Ebay photos and googled images of boards and just cannot make a clear decision on the subject.

Is it safe to assume that if I do not have it(ground switch) then proceed continue to connect the wires as if it not there:

1. Green to power transformer lug bolt.
2. Black to Fuse end - then other fuse terminal to bottom of AC switch - Power transormer blakcwire to top AC switch
3. White to power transformer black wire - solder together cap or heat shrink.
4. Remove death cap.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated. I have a few days before the amp arrives and I do not want to plug it in as it is.
Thank you and Happy Holidays!!!

Mike

Sounds like this layout.
http://site.triodestore.com/5F1layout40-18019.pdf

[Jazz P Bass]

Sure wish they would fix that.

[rivamonte]

Thank you very much! I think I drill a hole for the ground unless Harbor Freight has a big solder.
Terry thanks for pdf. I am completely in awe of everyone's speed and assistance on this topic. It has
been bugging me for a week. Again Happy Holidays!

Mike

[rivamonte]

Dude you think a Weller 40-Watt Soldering Iron would do the trick? Temperatures up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit.

[Enzo]

It isn't the temperature, it is the wattage. A 40 watt iron will heat a wire up to 900 degrees easily enough - although that is rather hot. But when you solder to a chassis, you then need to heat the whole piece of steel up enough to melt solder, and a 40 watt iron isn't going to do that wall. My 140 watt solder gun doesn;t even do that well. So mounting solder lug under a screw and soldering the wire to the lug is so much easier and reliable.

[The Dude]

Dude you think a Weller 40-Watt Soldering Iron would do the trick? Temperatures up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit.

That might do it. It won't hurt to try. Sometimes my gun isn't handy and I'll use both the solder and desolder irons on my station at the same time for more/faster heat. I mention this because if you have two irons, use them both.

Edit: I should add that it's much easier if you can find a place on the chassis where there's already solder and heat that rather than trying to start from scratch.

[The Dude]

mounting solder lug under a screw and soldering the wire to the lug is so much easier and reliable.

Not to "pick nits" here: I agree it's much easier if you don't have the heat source to get a proper connection, but I wouldn't say it's more reliable. IMO there's nothing as good as a good solid solder connection. That said, there's absolutely nothing wrong with a properly done lug/screw connection either. The key in either case is to do it right. If you're going to solder directly to the chassis, make sure you heat it good enough to get a good connection. Give it a good hard tug or two and make sure the connection has "taken" and does not come loose. If you go the lug/screw method, make sure to use lock washers or star washers so it digs into the chassis well and does not come loose.

[Enzo]

As far as I know, code requires a dedicated screw connection. I haven't seen a chassis solder in a long time. yes, it used to be common, but not in modern times. I know a lot of people cheat and use a transformer bolt instead of a dedicated screw, I even do it myself. But I am not supposed to.


And not to pick other nits, but my sentence was intended to parse as: soldering the wire to a lug is so much easier, and it is reliable. I do think a lug is more reliable than a weak solder joint, but it was not my intent to say the lug was "so much" more reliable.


Never hurts to try, but the hard part is getting solder to wet to the chassis. Otherwise we just have a glob of solder stuck to the metal. So solder as glue rather than as solder.

[NorCalTuna]

I like to use a nut and bolt to affix a terminal ring on, then when every things tight, I solder onto the sticking up shank of the bolt and nut. It locks it... for EVER. This can be usually done with a 6-32 and a 35 or 40 watt iron, no huge iron, no wondering how well made that (literally) most important connection is. Then, when it's cool, I connect the wire to the lug REALLY WELL, not before, as it may heat the wire too much and wick solder up it, making it brittle and potentially endangering somebody if it broke.

Also, make it (the grounding conductor) long enough so that if the the cord does yank out, the equipment stays grounded after the other leads have been ripped free. I think this is pretty standard practice...

[g1]

Sure wish they would fix that.

I assume you are referring to using a transformer bolt for the AC ground connection? Yes that should be corrected.
As other have mentioned, electrical code requires a dedicated screw connection, NOT a screw that is already being used for something else.