Death cap removal. Can you simply cut it out like this?

[TheOtherEric]

Hi folks, my new-to-me '73 JMP 50 still has the unneeded death cap, which should go. Previous owner had a grounded power cable installed, yet they oddly left the cap here! Is it ok to simply snip the wire (at the yellow arrow below) that attaches to the polarity switch? (I don't plan to actually cut the wire, but rather de-solder it from the switch, then zip tie it away and leave it there for posterity.) Will it still be ok to toggle the polarity switch without hurting anything? Or instead do I need to re-wire the polarity switch somehow? Thanks for any guidance.

 

[Dr Frost]

Short answer "Yes"
Long answer would be writing "Yes" a second time, and add some wisdom.

But to be honest, as for leaving unused and outdated components in any amp I am not a huge fan, no matter how historical. Someone might get the bright idea 20 years from now to hook it back up to no avail only risking something to go south because, as you know, Murphy´s Law beats any other law of nature, including Ohm´s, Kirchoff´s and Coloumbs dito

So, yes you can snip it as described. Job done.
Snip both ends, take it out of the amp, save as curiosity. Job well done.

Good luck!

 

[TheOtherEric]

Glad you went with the long answer @Dr Frost , much more entertaining! Thanks.

 

[mickeydg5]

I agree removing it may be best but also wise is to add the "chassis grounded" power cable retrofit.

 

[Dr.Twang!]

 

[Dr Frost]

To my fellow Doctor, Dr Twang:
I see that you posted those pictures, but it would be illegal to leave the groundswitch hooked up in my neck of the woods to do a proper job. I notice the outlets and recognise them well, so they are not european and we have different rules to abide.

In my country (may apply to the whole EU) nowadays, grounded outlets are mandatory since the early 80:s hence ungrounded receptacles does not fit. Furthermore all apparatus to be connected to the grid that are not double insulated are by law requested to have grounded cables with ground to chassis and all exposed metal parts.
Great, actually. Saves gear, inhibits sending stuff to smoke city, your own house or rehearsal-room included, not to mention for your own health...
Having repaired thousands of amps and whatnot´s for close to 4 decades we had new rules forced upon us by 1988~ish saying that we, if registered as repairshop of what in English would be similar to "consumer electronics" were obliged to phase out ungrounded connections on musicgear and TV/tapemachines/livegear/PA's/Studiogear and so forth alike if we were to stay in that biz.
If anything happened (and it did at times, see explanation on Murphy in previous post) and the apparatus had been at any repair shop not informing and grounding, the shop could be held fully responsible, which meant "bye bye dear customers, I´m starting my new career as macaroni hole drilling expert tomorow" or worse jobs selling other, uncomforting, special type services in jail, u know what I mean

But that was back in the last millenium (oh sweet time, how thy fly..)

 

[Jon Snell]

To my fellow Doctor, Dr Twang:
I see that you posted those pictures, but it would be illegal to leave the groundswitch hooked up in my neck of the woods to do a proper job. I notice the outlets and recognise them well, so they are not european and we have different rules to abide.

In my country (may apply to the whole EU) nowadays, grounded outlets are mandatory since the early 80:s hence ungrounded receptacles does not fit. Furthermore all apparatus to be connected to the grid that are not double insulated are by law requested to have grounded cables with ground to chassis and all exposed metal parts.
Great, actually. Saves gear, inhibits sending stuff to smoke city, your own house or rehearsal-room included, not to mention for your own health...
Having repaired thousands of amps and whatnot´s for close to 4 decades we had new rules forced upon us by 1988~ish saying that we, if registered as repairshop of what in English would be similar to "consumer electronics" were obliged to phase out ungrounded connections on musicgear and TV/tapemachines/livegear/PA's/Studiogear and so forth alike if we were to stay in that biz.
If anything happened (and it did at times, see explanation on Murphy in previous post) and the apparatus had been at any repair shop not informing and grounding, the shop could be held fully responsible, which meant "bye bye dear customers, I´m starting my new career as macaroni hole drilling expert tomorow" or worse jobs selling other, uncomforting, special type services in jail, u know what I mean

But that was back in the last millenium (oh sweet time, how thy fly..)

Correct. If equipment is not "Doubly Insulated" meaning there is no path to to ground and bearing the symbol with a square within a square, it must have a bonded earth with a three pin plug.
Remove both the capacitor and the switch, placing a blind grommet, of the correct size, in the hole left from the switch to comply with the safety rules and good code of practice.

 

[thetragichero]

with some shielded wire i like to repurpose these old polarity switches to switch on a cathode bypass cap on a previously unbypassed cathode

 

[Jon Snell]

I have found a copy of a service sheet from Fender, it clearly shows there is NO death cap on export models. (Bottom right).