NEW/OLD SOLARUS - Question - New to forum too! WOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!

[The Dude]

1) It doesn't remove any ripple anyway. It's not large enough value and it's pre-rectifier.
2) You are counting on ground actually being ground wherever you go. Wanna know how many miswired outlets I've seen or how many grounded outlets don't have the ground actually connected?
3) "The tone doesn't change, at all, with or without the cap."
4) It's called a death cap for a reason. Be safe. Get that sucker out of there.

[Enzo]

Amen.

[AjaxLepinski]

1) It doesn't remove any ripple anyway. It's not large enough value and it's pre-rectifier.
2) You are counting on ground actually being ground wherever you go. Wanna know how many miswired outlets I've seen or how many grounded outlets don't have the ground actually connected?
3) "The tone doesn't change, at all, with or without the cap."
4) It's called a death cap for a reason. Be safe. Get that sucker out of there.

Hey Dude!!!!
Thanks for the input - it is sincerely welcome.
I have a long way to go with my amp repair studies! Not all caps remove ripple.... every time I learn something new it makes me realize how little I know.

The thing is, as I mentioned in one of the above posts, when I take the death cap out, the amp doesn't work....
The neutral line comes from the power cord and connects to the on/off switch (for the on/off switch pilot light). From there, the neutral goes to the polarity switch, and finally to the cap which connects to the ground point with the red/yellow PT wire..
If I remove the cap and the polarity switch from the circuit, I have to run a wire from the neutral line at the on/off switch, directly to the ground point with the red/yellow PT wire (to get the amp to work).
However, in one of the above posts, someone said, "never connect the neutral directly to the chassis".

Can anyone can suggest a way to keep the amp working, after removing the cap -and- without connecting the neutral to the aforementioned ground point on the chassis?
I welcome all suggestions.

Here's my point... if, in the original circuit design, the only component between the chassis and the neutral supply is the cap, it won't be any more dangerous if the cap fails than it would of I connect the neutral to the ground point (where it winds up in the original design). At the moment, I figure, it would be safer to leave the cap in.... until I know where that neutral line needs to go (after the on/off switch).
I'm hoping that I don't have to take it to the local tech. We have an excellent repair shop on Long Island that specialized in old guitar amps, including Sunn but, they are EXPENSIVE!!!

Here is a vid that explains why the Death Cap may or, may not be dangerous (depending on the circuit). It also explains how to check the amount of voltage, leaking to the chassis, to help you decide if you need to remove the cap or, if it is safe to leave it in.
I'll be taking some measurements this weekend.

Here is a revised pic - I labeled the red wire going to the on/off switch (Pwr Swtch) more accurately.

[The Dude]

AC neutral does not connect to the chassis. The ground from the AC cord does. I've redrawn primary portion of the circuit from the schematic you posted above. The polarity switch will no longer do anything and is also removed from the circuit. You don't need it with an actual grounded AC cord. You can use pins on the switch as a terminal strip if need be (so that wires reach), but it will no longer be in circuit.

[Enzo]

If you have to ground neutral, you have something miswired. As to the cap, just snip it out, you can leave the ground toggle switch if you like, it won;t do anything though.

[AjaxLepinski]

You guys ROCK!!!!

Dude - I just printed your diagram - many thanks! Transposing schematics (in my head) to the actual amp wiring is difficult because, I'm new at this.... and I know this is a very simple circuit that we are discussing.
Not sure what you mean by, "using the pins on the (polarity?) switch as a terminal strip so, the that the wires reach". I need some more schematic gazing time to figure it out but, I am expecting a eureka moment any moment now.


Enzo - When I first removed the cap, I also removed all the wires between the polarity switch and the on/off swithc. I think that, removing the polarity switch wires is the reason why the amp did not work when I first took the cap out. I'm going to try simply removing the cap, as you suggest. Cheers!

[The Dude]

......Enzo - When I first removed the cap, I also removed all the wires between the polarity switch and the on/off swithc. I think that, removing the polarity switch wires is the reason why the amp did not work when I first took the cap out. I'm going to try simply removing the cap, as you suggest. Cheers!

YES! If you do that, you should be in business. Leave everything as original and simply remove the cap. That should be the same as my diagram. Leave the polarity switch wired as is. The switch will no longer do anything. As I said, it is simply being used as a terminal strip (making connections).

[AjaxLepinski]

YES! If you do that, you should be in business. Leave everything as original and simply remove the cap. That should be the same as my diagram. Leave the polarity switch wired as is. The switch will no longer do anything. As I said, it is simply being used as a terminal strip (making connections).

Eureka - I think I'm in business!
I'm hoping to have time on Thursday to try this out.

Thanks again!!!

[AjaxLepinski]

KNOB OCD ALERT!!!!
The Solarus came with two Fender knobs that have been really bugging me.
I checked with the original Sunn knob manufacturer, ROGAN CORP in Illinois. They have upped the minimum purchase to 500 knobs at $2.85 each = $1425.00 plus shipping!
There was no use trying to talk them into selling me 150 knobs for $500 - they are making a lot more money with medical plastics than phenolic knobs.

So, I did the next best thing... I bought a Sunn Concert Bass head for $228 (shipping included) on eBay, and hijacked two knobs for my Solarus!!! Yeah, baby!!!!
I'm replacing the Bass head knobs with Fenders and will resell. This, is the nature of OCD!!!