Gretsch 6152 Power Cord Replacement

[OracleGreen]

Hey y'all,
I just got a Gretsch 6152 "Compact" tremolo reverb and it has a two prong power cord on it that I wouldn't trust on a small lamp. I bought a new 3 prong power cord for it but when I pulled the chassis I noticed the old power cord's two wires are the same color, grey. I replaced the 2 prong power cord on my Fender Pro Reverb a couple months ago and it was easy because there was a white and a black wire already there for easy reference as to wear to connect the right wire but the Gretsch doesn't so I don't know what wire goes where. I know I need to ground the green wire to the chassis but how do you know which grey one is replaced by black and which grey one is replaced by white?

[Firestorm]

It doesn't matter for operation, but for proper safety the switch and the fuse should be on the black wire. There are other safety related considerations ...

[OracleGreen]

They both go to the switch. Its a 6 pin switch and the wires are both on the middle pins opposite of each other. I shouldn't go to the same spot where the old wires are soldered?

OG

[selloutrr]

yes you can use the same switch

the black wire on the new power cable goes on the side that continues on to the fuse. the green to ground. neutral to the other pin.

[OracleGreen]

Thank you!

OG

[rdjones]

They both go to the switch. Its a 6 pin switch and the wires are both on the middle pins opposite of each other. I shouldn't go to the same spot where the old wires are soldered?

OG

Are you eliminating the "death cap" ?

If not I'd not use the polarity reverse because in the "wrong" position the chassis is referenced to the hot side. The cap-to-chassis should tie to the cold side, if anything.

rd

[OracleGreen]

Is the death cap the one that goes from the fuse to ground?

[selloutrr]

yes

[OracleGreen]

If I snip out the capacitor, wouldn't I need to move the black wire to the fuse? Maybe Im not understanding how the backup safety part of how the death cap was suppose to work. If black and white are just on the switch how is that in the right line up for the fuse to work? Sorry if Im out in left field.

[selloutrr]

i don't have a gut shot of the amp so i can't tell you 100% how the amp is physically wired but based on the schematic it looks like the "death cap" is connected at the fuse to ground and a wire then continues on to the Power Transformer. You can disconnect, Unsolder or snip out the capacitor.
this is how that side should now be wired.

Power cord - Switch - Fuse - PT

The cap was used to help with hum in ungrounded amps, over time the cap breaks down and can short or leak causing you to get shocked. that's how it got the nick name "death cap" I'm not sure how many deaths have occured from it? Since you installed a grounded power cord the cap has no purpose and should be removed for safety.

[Dr-Joned]

If you wire it like my attached drawing it will work fine.

Unsolder 2 wires for the switch and reconnect them per the drawing.
Add 3 prong grounded cable per drawing paying attention to the polarity ( ie white & black)

The switch will work correctly in either position.
The death cap will not need to be removed.

[OracleGreen]

OK, got it, I think. Mine seems to follow the schematic. So, just to make sure please. Ive got the black wire to the middle pin on the fuse side of the switch and the white wire is on the opposite side middle pin. The green is to ground and is longer than the other two so if the power cord gets pulled out the last wire to go would be ground for safety. And the death cap is snip out.
Sound safe?

[selloutrr]

sounds good.

the power cord should be secured and unable to be pulled out even under extreme conditions.

the ground doesnt need to be longer then it takes to comfortably reach a chassis bolt.

[rdjones]

OK, got it, I think. Mine seems to follow the schematic. So, just to make sure please. Ive got the black wire to the middle pin on the fuse side of the switch and the white wire is on the opposite side middle pin. The green is to ground and is longer than the other two so if the power cord gets pulled out the last wire to go would be ground for safety. And the death cap is snip out.
Sound safe?

You should be OK with that arrangement.

I tend to be particular about AC wiring safety.
The hot lead on the cord confirmed regardless what the color code indicates.
The hot lead goes first to the inner TIP of the fuse (not outer ring), then on to the switch.
I usually just leave the ground cap in place if it's tied to cold.
If it's separately switched like on Fender or MusicMan with center off, I just cut the lead to the hot side so it can be either on (tied to cold) or out of circuit in either of the other two ground switch positions. This, of course, does not apply to your amp.

good luck
rd

[OracleGreen]

Three different wiring options?

1) Black to switch with death cap

2) Black to switch without death cap

3) Black to tip of fuse with death cap