Discharging ML capacitors

[socialxray]

I want to clean my panels but I can never leave them unplugged for 24hrs. They are always in use.

Is there an easy way to discharge the capacitors?

 

[Jeff Zaret]

I would unplug them in the morning when you go off to work and then when you get home vacuum. This has worked for me. I have also unplugged them for an hour vacuumed the dust off the panels (successfully) and plugged them back in too. Or....unplug them when you go to bed and then clean them in the morning.
I believe there is no steadfast rule that says you have to have them unplugged for a specified amount of time.
The purpose is routine maintenance, aka periodic cleaning, and as long as you do it on a scheduled basis you are fine.

It is what you are comfortable with.

Jeff

 

[sleepysurf]

"Fast Track" vacuuming

For faster capacitor discharge, unplug them WHILE playing music, you'll hear the stator panels slowly fading out over a couple hours as the capacitors discharge (woofer output unchanged). Let them sit overnight, and vacuum in the morning.

 

[roberto]

For faster capacitor discharge, unplug them WHILE playing music, you'll hear the stator panels slowly fading out over a couple hours as the capacitors discharge (woofer output unchanged). Let them sit overnight, and vacuum in the morning.

Hola...when you take the rims (rails, trims) off the speaker´s cabinet and loose the panels from the velcro, also being unplugged from the A.C. mains, make a short with a wire between red and blue cables at the panel connector...this will discharge the panels...hope this can help. Yo will see and hear a small spark coming from the short...don´t worry, no harm!, just a spark and and some jump of yourself!...happy listening,
Roberto.

 

[sleepysurf]

Can playing unplugged damage stats?

Just f/u on my prior post about unplugging ML's while playing, to rapidly discharge the stat panels for cleaning. Just stumbled upon this post at Audio Asylum, stating that doing so can DAMAGE electrostatic speakers. Is this really true???

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/MUG/messages/90111.html

 

[roberto]

Just f/u on my prior post about unplugging ML's while playing, to rapidly discharge the stat panels for cleaning. Just stumbled upon this post at Audio Asylum, stating that doing so can DAMAGE electrostatic speakers. Is this really true???

http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/MUG/messages/90111.html

Hola. You could damage your speakers, if you play them too loud, but for discharging them as you do, I don´t think so. You have an electrical signal applied to the stators, if there is no voltage, what you have is loss in volume, and I don´t find any reason why you could damage the panels. If you want to do it faster, unplugg the Mains, AC cable from the speaker, then take the side rails that are securing the panel, and make a short between the blue and the red, then the black and the red. The red color is the one that goes to the diaphragm and has over 7.000 bias voltage. All what you will see and hear is a small spark between the connectors, where you made the short. Hope this can help! Happy listening,
Pura vida,
Roberto.