Ouch !

[paul.creedy]

This may well be a consequence of my haphazard approach to running what is more than likely way too many pedals at once, but in case it's down to something which has a simple solution I thought it sensible to ask all you electronically wise folk (possibly before I burn my house down, as I've only just finished paying for it!).

I have most of my pedal chain on music stands, where I can easily reach knobs to tweak as I'm mostly making weird noises with them in various combinations and making weird noises weirder is part of the fun.

However, I've recently received a number of small electric shocks after unplugging patch leads, both from bare enclosures and from the leads themselves on occasion. This is with the mains switched off, but with all power supplies still plugged in. All of the supplies are 9v DC apart from one, a 9v AC supply for a Line 6 DM4.

I'll admit that as mentioned above, my setup isn't ideal - I have 32 pedals running off 12 power supplies with numerous daisy chains, but despite this, with a guitar plugged in and the strings muted and with no pedals switched on there is very little noise and no noticeable volume drop.

As far as I can see there's no drama with everything plugged in, but the fact that with the mains supply switched off there is clearly something happening which I doubt is ideal means I thought I'd better ask if anyone knows what's going on

[mth5044]

What kind of amp do you have it all plugged in to? Is it still connected to the chain, plugged in, or recently turned on?

[paul.creedy]

The amp is a Boss Katana combo, which is plugged in, but also running from the same source and therefore not only switched off but at the mains too.

It does appear to be being held within the chain somehow, as once a lead or enclosure has shocked me once it won't do it again unless everything has been turned on and off again, but unplugging another one may still carry the risk of a second one.

I have noticed once or twice an LED flicker on a couple of pedals and the shocks have only happened once a lead is unplugged - if I touch enclosures before unplugging I'm not getting anything, only once the chain is broken.

[vigilante397]

...I have 32 pedals running off 12 power supplies...

So..... can we see it?

[bluebunny]

...I have 32 pedals running off 12 power supplies...

So..... can we see it?

Something like this, perhaps?

 

[paul.creedy]

Where are my manners? - of course you can



Current order is:

Vox Tonelab St
Random Number Generator
Data Corrupter
Spatial Delivery
Arpanoid
Into The Unknown
Ok-ish
DM4
VFB-X Feedback Looper
Prism-9
CSIDMAN
Miku
Raygun Youth
Vitruvian Mod
Moomindrone T
Electric Brown
Bakvendt
Arcadiator
Hyperion II
SL-20 Slicer
Grazer
Ghost Fax
BitQuest
Quantum Time Modulator
Colour Theory
Syntax Error
Count To 5
Particle
Rainbow Machine
Liqua Flange
Otto Filter

which is actually 31, plus the 8 Step Program which isn't connected to anything at the moment (it was hooked up to a Pitch Fork which was removed to make room for my recent builds).

[Al B. Darned]

That is awesome.

[BetterOffShred]

If you stick a 9v battery to your tongue you get a little boost ..  If you stick one to your dry ringer.. not much.  So either you are grounded weird through your guitar strings or you got a problem with a power supply.. 

I had a lamp that had a cracked bulb holder and when I'd hold my guitar strings and touch it, I'd get AC.. yikes.

Inspect everything and make sure your guitar is grounded through the bridge etc.

[anotherjim]

I suspect static electricity and the source could be you yourself! Could be the same reason you can get a shock when you get out of a car. The car gets the blame, but it's actually the person that's been shuffling about in a bone dry plastiky environment that has the static charge.
So what's on the floor and what are you wearing? Maybe an anti-static work mat on the floor clipped to that radiator pipe for ground will sort it out.

[printer2]

I had to check out a laser CNC machine as the operators were getting shocks when it was running. After careful investigation I found that they were getting shocks off their chair due to static electricity. How is your humidity?

[paul.creedy]

I suspect static electricity and the source could be you yourself! Could be the same reason you can get a shock when you get out of a car. The car gets the blame, but it's actually the person that's been shuffling about in a bone dry plastiky environment that has the static charge.
So what's on the floor and what are you wearing? Maybe an anti-static work mat on the floor clipped to that radiator pipe for ground will sort it out.

There's carpet on the floor and I'm wearing a flame retardant mankini and fishing waders.

From what's been said I'm guessing it may be one of my cheap chinese power supplies - next time it happens I'll get my multi meter out and test some of the cables.

[stallik]

Was impressed with all those pedals. Thinking of you operating them in a mankini  and waders - less so
Trying not to let the image form in my head but failing

[Ben N]

OMG, you're a mad genius! Strangely enough, what caught my eye is the two Tonecore pedals on the floor. No way you can prop those beasts on some flimsy music stand.
But, sorry, this thread is about shocks--carry on.

[cab42]

There's carpet on the floor and I'm wearing a flame retardant mankini and fishing waders.

So..... can we see it?

[paul.creedy]

OMG, you're a mad genius! Strangely enough, what caught my eye is the two Tonecore pedals on the floor. No way you can prop those beasts on some flimsy music stand.
But, sorry, this thread is about shocks--carry on.

The Otto Filter isn't too bad, but the Liqua Flange is ridiculously heavy, I think there's a small black hole in it.

[samhay]

Northampton isn't known for being particularly dry, so I'm not convinced this is humidity related.

I used to get shocked from my laptop fairly regularly and I had annoying issues with a noisy audio interface, which went away when I grounded everything properly.
Hopefully your amp has a proper 3 prong power plug. I don't imagine any of your fx power supplies will be properly grounded as they will be wall warts. Your amp will then be providing a route to earth for your entire signal chain via the audio cable ground. When you unplug one of these 1/4" cables the guitar side of your signal chain will then end up floating until you provide a route to ground via you and your waders.

The solution is to add another path to ground via the guitar end of your signal chain and something like this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/LINDY-40173-Anti-Static-Earth-Bonding/dp/B01N4V7PJT
However, unless you keep this on the same ring as your amp, you may find you trade shocks for a ground loop...

[paul.creedy]

Hopefully your amp has a proper 3 prong power plug. I don't imagine any of your fx power supplies will be properly grounded as they will be wall warts. Your amp will then be providing a route to earth for your entire signal chain via the audio cable ground. When you unplug one of these 1/4" cables the guitar side of your signal chain will then end up floating until you provide a route to ground via you and your waders.

That sounds like the most plausible explanation so far, I shall endeavour to note which side of the break is providing any future shocks, but I have a feeling that most, if not all, previous shocks have been upriver.

As it only happens if I'm moving pedals about I can live with occasional spark if it's not being caused by something that might damage any of the pedals - mains shocks are much more memorable

[garyg]

There's carpet on the floor and I'm wearing a flame retardant mankini and fishing waders.

Sean???

[anotherjim]

I liked that Gary, but not in the way of liking what's in the picture, although Zardoz was one of those so-bad-its-good movies. In fact probably the greatest flying head movie ever.

[MrStab]

how does the ground potential compare between the amp chassis (or whatever the destination) and each pedal?