Shame I don't have time to play, but frankly I can't resist. I am going to
change the order the post in this reply.
** WAKE UP - YOU ASININE FUCKHEADS:
AS/NZ standards are ONLY for engineers, manufacturers and installers to
heed !!
Ordinary consumers are NOT aware of nor need to consider published standards
AT ALL !!
The laws of **negligence** certainly applies to them though.
Shame they does not apply to ANONYMOUS idiots posting
dangerous CRAPOLOGY !
I believe it does.
Negligence has to be proven. Way too complicated for this discussion.
Standards
form the basis of many contractual and legal principles. Just to keep on
topic, if
the OP modified the DVD player and added an earth, one of the (legal) tests
that
could be applied when gathering evidence is whether that modification
contravened
the principles of the relevant electrical safety standard.
The potential shock hazard issue with class 2 and class items mixed in a
home entertainment system is all about what *ordinary consumers* do - at
home !!
I am going to wind this back to the OPs point about earthing the enclosure,
that is
earthing externally accessible conductive parts to eliminate the effects of
touch current. Since Phil finds direct references too pedantic I shall keep it
very simple.
When assessing the insulation and construction methods of almost any Class 2
product all accessible conductive surfaces are considered to be conected to
earth
for the purpose of the assessment. Basically this simulates them being touched
by
a person or being placed in contact with other earthed apparatus.
Insulation working voltage, component rated voltages, etc all all determined
by "earthing" the circuit or part in a way that results in the highest working
voltage appearing across insulation systems. Non-conductive parts have a
section of foil (earthed via a resistor) pressed against them.
To look at it another way, the Class 2 product has to remain safe with an earth
connected to any accessible part of it. Inputs and outputs that are not
considered
"Hazardous Live" are also tested this way (such as RCA type I/O jacks).
Amplifier outputs are often classed as Hazardous Live circuits and as part of
the
abnormal and fault tolerance clauses in standards, these could also be earthed
to
ensure insulation systems do not fail and no fire hazard arises. This is a
separate
topic to earthing the enclosure.
If the OP is still reading this which I doubt, have the units checked by
someone who does "test and tag". If the touch (leakage) current is less than
0.25 mA then the tingle is normal (for some people). If you earth the
enclosure
you might wind up with hum and noise in the system but it should not cause you
any harm.
