Hi there...and wiring problem/dilemma

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Hi there

looking forward to learning from you all. I'm new to electronics and am working my way through a basic workbook just now. I have a bit of a problem just now.

I live in the UK and have a dbx 160x compressor (made in Japan) which I bought set at 115v with a US Type A, Unpolarised plug attached. In a US manual, it advised UK users who wished to change to UK plugs that it was wored Blue:Neutral and Brown:Live etc. Also stating that the plug required a 3 Amp fuse. Straight forward enough I thought. Therefore, I switched the unit to 230v and cut off the plug with the intention of putting a Uk plug on it.

However, on cutting the US Type A, Unpolarised plug off the cable which is a two cable conjoined cable (kinda like headphone wire), I found out that this outer layer was the only thing covering the copper wire inside. Therefore, there are no colours there to wire correctly into a UK plug.

Would it matter which way around the two wires are wired into a UK plug? Wouldn't the transformer in the dbx detect which is Live and which is Neutral?


Kindest regards

R.

[Enzo]

Transformers are passive in that they simple provide an output voltage that is a ratio from the input voltage. They cannot detect anything, including which end - if any - is hot or neutral.

I can;t find a rear view of the dbx160x. The 160A has a detachable power cord. Is your powr cord permanently attached? If so, I would think it wouldn;t matter which of the two wires is which. However, if your cord is detachable, unplug it from the IEC conector on the rear and grab a generic power cord from most anything that uses them.

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Thank you for your reply Enzo

The cable I have is a permanent one and guess what???....The unit works just fine wired into a UK plug.

It's an old unit. From the 1980s I believe. This is probably why it lacks the additional layer of coloured insulation which would have helped identify which wire was which.

Logically. Having had a look inside the US to UK adapter I've been using this past 8 weeks (see pics), it was apparent that this adapter didn't have anything fancy inside that would have made allowances for wrong wiring etc.





Therefore, using this adapter with the Type A, unpolarised US plug plugged into it either way around, would have presented each wire (in my unit's mains cable) to different UK plug pins. This surely means that my wiring of the UK plug (instead of continuing US to UK adapter) will have changed nothing safety-wise? Providing my UK plug is wired securely of course.

Do you think it would be wise to take my dnx 160x somewhere to have a better cable (double insulated) put in and have it checked out? The person who had it before me had it for 20 years with it running smoothly without incidence.


Kindest Regards and Thanks

R.

[Enzo]

Officially you should do all the safety measures by the book. But since it is a two-wire unit, I don't think it really matters. Two-wire US plugs are polarized these days - one blade wider than the other so it finds its way into the neutral hole. But inside if you reverse it, nothing happens. They even put these polarized plugs on things that don't matter, like a table lamp.

Your side by side wire probably had some conductor identification. Just like zip cord for speaker wire. One side might be ribbed and the other smooth. Or one side has a stripe printed on the outside. Or one conductor is tinned and hte other bare copper. SOme way to tell which one was which without having to follow the wire its entire length.

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Thanks Enzo. I really appreciate your replies.

My wires have absolutely no identification what-so-ever and neither is tinned.

Having wired it into a UK plug with the unit appearing to be fine and having been assured by many that it wouldn't matter which way it was wired, I have observed several other things.

I actually took a couple of pics when the unit was open. They are here. Note: that they were taken from the front of the unit looking toward the rear. Apologies for the first one being blurred.

The inside of the dbx has Three Wires which appear to come from a plastic part at the back of the unit, probably the voltage selector. These are not the cable wires which exit the unit (to a plug) but are before this stage. Looking at these wires from the front of the unit looking towards the back, they appear to be a Red (Left), Black (Centre) and an additional Black (Right). See first pic.

The centre one of these three wires (the black centre one) becomes one of my two conjoined mains wires which exit from the rear. Following this wire, I can tell that it exits from right hand side of the unit (still looking at the it from the front).

The other two wires - the Red (Left) and Black (Right) go into the NTK Transformer. A White wire comes out of the transformer and goes into a white plastic cap where it appears to terminate (see pic 2). Out of this plastic cap, a Black wire comes out. This Black wire is the second of my pair of conjoined mains cable wires.

It has been put to me that this white wire which becomes a black wire (inside the plastic cap) is the Neutral and that the black wire which come through the voltage selector switch is my Live. Would this appear correct to you?

For the record, if the above is correct, I have it wired the wrong way round. However, the unit works fine. Having said that, if it is wrong I may switch the wires in the plug to adhere to convention. What do you think?


Regard

R.

[Enzo]

I think your unit works, and that is enough.

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Thanks for your help Enzo

I really appreciate it


Regards

R.