Caps to Chassis?

triode17

Super Member
I am currently rebuilding a 1965 Ampeg tube guitar amp. Stock, it has a 2-prong power cord with a switchable "death capacitor" to chassis. (This connects the Line or Neutral through the cap. to chassis for noise reduction).
The cap is a 0.047u, 600v tubular type. If you were rebuilding it, would you replace the cap. with a X/Y safety cap and keep the 2 wire cord, or go with a 3 wire cord and Earth ground the chassis and eliminating the cap. all together?
 
Well, it looks like I have to answer my own question. I decided to add the third Earth ground wire to the chassis. I will retain the (Ground) switch which connects the cap. from either the Line or Neutral to chassis but leave the cap out. So, if it still seems to be needed afterwards, it can easily be reinstalled. Thanks Me!
 
I would think that its time the amp saw a polarized plug (then the 3 prong plug would not be required) and the cap could be kept in the circuit. As I recall, the old amps had a non-polarized plug that would usually hum if not plugged into the non-polarized (or polarized, later day) outlets and the cure was to flip the plug. Now days, all outlets are polarized. Adding a ground wire may actually cause hum with the amp, certainly if the line and neutral are not wired correctly. Not much different then the old stereo equipment of the day.
 
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