3 prong cord installation

[bluzmn]

I have a 3 prong cord I'm going to install in an amp; it has the international style color coding and an extra wire that appears to be the shielding twisted and tinned. Is there something I'm supposed to do with that when I'm installing or should I just snip it off?

[Jazz P Bass]

That does not sound like a power cord.

Can you post a pic or a link as to where you got it?

[Enzo]

Only special power cords have shielding. International? OK, so brown, blue, and green/yellow? The green yellow goes to chassis, the brown and blue are your mains supply.

If it really is a shield, then just connect it to chassis as well.

[Tone Meister]

Only special power cords have shielding. International? OK, so brown, blue, and green/yellow? The green yellow goes to chassis, the brown and blue are your mains supply.

If it really is a shield, then just connect it to chassis as well.

I highly recommend you meter those wires to be sure. I have gotten hold of a couple cords where the international colors that were not standard. (hot-neutral reversed)

I believe that extra wire could be a strain relief of sorts. But definitely meter that cable to the plug to be certain.

[bluzmn]

@Jazz P Bass - I took some pictures; I hope they show up. I don't think I've posted pictures before. I'm not sure, but I think I got this cord from Mojotone.
@Enzo - When I saw that extra wire on this cord, I went to check out 2 other cords that I have; one of them does have shield, but it has been trimmed down flush with the outer plastic insulation. Am I going to have a grounding problem with that cord?
@Tone Meister - What do you mean by "meter" the cord? How do I do it and what should I be looking for?

[eschertron]

+1 to strain relief. the pics are a little blurry, and I cannot see how exactly the bare wire enters the cord, but the gauge size on the strands is telling. I'm sure you could land it to a point inside the chassis (ground or not) and anchor it securely.
If you can, check resistance from that lead to each of the others. If no continuity between that and any other, it has purely mechanical properties.

[Jazz P Bass]

I would trim back that bare wire and not hook it to anything.

[Randall]

Jazz P Bass said. ^^

[bluzmn]

I figured out how to "meter" the cord; my DMM has a "continuity" setting. Everything checked out fine, but that extra wire shows continuity with the ground; I guess I'll just connect to the chassis like Enzo said.

[J M Fahey]

Since you already have it, and to boot it does show continuity to ground, IŽd also connect it to ground on its own.

I *guess* shield in some power cords is there as an extra step avoiding SMPS hash from radiating all around, by using said power cord as antenna.
So if you have it, use it.

[Tone Meister]

Since you already have it, and to boot it does show continuity to ground, IŽd also connect it to ground on its own.

I *guess* shield in some power cords is there as an extra step avoiding SMPS hash from radiating all around, by using said power cord as antenna.
So if you have it, use it.

Makes sense.