Pluggin' 'oles

[Adrian Caspersz]

I've got the mains inlet PCB of a Marantz SR-4300 surround sound amp in bits at the moment (the standby relay is in need of replacement, the contacts are dicky).

It has had the necessary workarounds applied at the factory to pass electrical safety, namely all the speaker banana sockets are blocked with removable plastic (to accept no bananas), and an auxiliary mains power outlet is also blocked with a bung likewise.

The interesting thing is, this power outlet is a two pin Europlug design. I've pulled the bung out (no mean feat, had to fashion a tool) and can see some sense in blocking it up. It's too tempting for little Tommy and his inquisitive fingers, to meet 240V.

However, given this is a European model and harmonisation etc, I don't know why Marantz hadn't deleted the socket entirely?

Or are other countries in Europe using it and an unsafe place for Tommy to live?

[John Rumm]

Tommy can poke directly into the unshuttered mains sockets in most of eurpoe as it is, so one more on the back of an amp is not going to make much difference!

[Andy Burns]

Instead of the usual C14 inlet mine has C18 (L/N pins but no E pin)

My Marantz NR-1602 has no bungs to prevent bananas (double up as binding posts) but it has no mains outlet

[tabbypurr]

how is that a safety issue?

Europlugs aren't approved here for mains use.

Last time I looked, most of europe didn't give a fig about electrical safety. They've improved somewhat, but it's still behind our 1947 square pin system.

NT

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

I was told that nobody would accept my Rogers cadet for sale as it has two 2 pin 2 amp sockets on the back which are just mounted on paxolin with plugs with no shrouding. I have had this amp since 1967, and never have I had a shock from it. I just need somebody to find why the channel gains are mismatched, obviously a component has drifted as swapping valves makes not difference and it drifts over time. Brian

[tabbypurr]

they can be disconnected

Probably a high ESR cap or a high R, or a connection.

NT