Mic Electrocuting Singer

[Ryan.]

Hey guys, I know someone has the quick answer to this. I used to know how to solve this problem (in most cases) but I can't remember now, and our singer was getting the electric chair at band practice the other night.

 

Something about getting everything on the same circuit right?

[Scodiddly]

Usual first step is to make sure there aren't any missing ground pins on the power cords. Especially if the singer is playing guitar - have that guitar amp checked out.

[mkfs9]

Not only plug into the same ring main. Check inside all of your main plugs for looe wires. Been there done it, and found an earth wire out on a plug at the end of a gig.

[tado921]

You have a grounding issue somewhere, probably in one of the power outlets. Get a $5 outlet tester and check all of them. I had this same problem in my garage, and it took me about 30 minutes to find the bad outlet and fix it.

[jwlussow]

Yep. My guess is missing ground pin on an extension cord.

[Ryan.]

He doesn't play guitar and all connectors are fine. He does use a TC Helicon Voice thing... not the corrector but the effects pedal.

 

Other than that he's just holding a mic.

[Mutha Goose]

Doesn't the TC Helicon's require an instrument to be connected to it (for pitch reference)?

[Ryan.]

Its not the voice corrector, its just the effect processor.

[imnotded]

 

Doesn't the TC Helicon's require an instrument to be connected to it (for pitch reference)?

 

 

Only the voice correct and harmony ones require it.

[Rezrover]

Try a different mic cable.

[RoadRanger]

Make sure ALL the power grounds are connected together - especially when using multiple circuits.

http://www.whiskey-creek.net/pwrdist.html

[Craig Vecchione]

 

He doesn't play guitar and all connectors are fine. He does use a TC Helicon Voice thing... not the corrector but the effects pedal. Other than that he's just holding a mic.

 

 

There's a grounding problem in the system...whether it's the rig, or the building's, or both...plus there's either a component in the system that's got a fault to ground and causing a chassis to be 'hot', or there's a serious ground potential difference in the building grounds (one or more have a poor, high resistance connection to ground, others are okay) and you're system is plugged into them, plus there's a building fault to ground that's putting voltage into the system from that direction.

 

As you can see, there are many possibilities, and it can be tricky to sort out. But start by checking every plug for a ground pin, remove ALL ground adapter plugs, and get the $5 outlet tester that looks like a plug with 3 LED's, and test every outlet. If this doesn't reveal the problem, let us know what you find.

 

It goes without saying but I'll say it; don't use the system until you have this fixed and safe again. Those shocks are usually only irritating, but they have been deadly or debilitating.

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Try a different mic cable.

 

 

Not a good plan. If there's voltage on a chassis, there's a problem that needs to be fixed. A different cable won't fix it.

[madjack]

Is your singer by any chance barefoot standing on concrete?

[Ryan.]

Outlet tester is available at Home Depot or similar?

[Ryan.]

Nope, shoes on, on carpet.

[madjack]

 

Outlet tester is available at Home Depot or similar?

 

 

Should be available at Home Despot. Looks like this.

[RoadRanger]

Outlet tester is available at Home Depot or similar?

Even Wally Mart had them last I knew .

[agedhorse]

What else is he touching when he gets shocked?

[scarecrowbob]

If your singer isn't grounded to anything else, is it possibly static electricity?

[Ryan.]

 

What else is he touching when he gets shocked?

 

 

As far as I can tell, nothing. Once in a while he puts his foot up on my monitors, until I tell him to buy his own speakers if he wants to use them as a footrest.

[tado921]

It goes without saying but I'll say it; don't use the system until you have this fixed and safe again. Those shocks are usually only irritating, but they have been deadly or debilitating.

 

Truth. Anybody in the band using tube amps?

[Ryan.]

Truth. Anybody in the band using tube amps?

 

 

I am. Marshall half stack. But we are plugged in across from each other. I used to get zapped when I'd hold my strings and touch the doorknob. That was always fun.

[tado921]

Yikes! Be careful man: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Relf

[Ryan.]

 

Yikes! Be careful man: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Relf

 

 

Yikes. Haven't been shocked in a while. But I'll take care of our singer.