Help me convince my wife that the cabinet won't kill anyone!!

[javeryh]

OK, I am less than probably 2 hours from finishing my cocktail cabinet (well, getting it playable anyway).  Last night I mounted the monitor to the side panel (still have to attach it to the top) and all that's left is to connect it to the base, plug in the monitor and turn everything on.

Anyway, the monitor is now out of the box - never to be put back.  I am using the basement as my "workshop" so there is now a monitor just sitting down there without any casing.  As a precaution (and because we have a 1.8 year old kid roaming around) I told her not to let anyone touch it.  Then she started making fun of me like always saying "oh, no one is allowed to touch your precious arcade, eh?" and "what about just using my pinky?" etc. so I had to get serious and tell her about the "High Voltage" warning on the back of the exposed monitor and to really seriously not touch it.

Of course now she thinks the arcade cabinet will kill everyone in the house and then burn it to the ground.  What do I do (and do I really have anything to worry about - that would be the worst "I told you so" ever)?

THANKS!!

[missioncontrol]

build her a tinfoil hat

[RetroACTIVE]

Just tell her all TVs are the same... thats why they are wrapped in plastic 

[mahuti]

Yeah, I think that's a good point. Essentially that's the argument... while it's out of its case, it can pose a danger, but once it goes into the cocktail cabinet, aka, "the case" then it's just fine. A decased monitor is much like any exposed electronics, a lot more dangerous than when enclosed.

[leapinlew]

I personally think there is nothing wrong with this, in fact, use it to your advantage. Feel free to use any of these

"Don't drink the beer, it's poisonous"
"The perfume/lipstick on my shirt was to keep vampires away"
"The TV remote has woman cooties"

[gamecreature]

The same goes for any repair work she has you do in the house - don't mess with the outlet/lightswitch while the plate is off. Don't fool around with the garbage disposal/ceiling fan while the cover is off. Once the electrical tape is in place and the cover is back on, no big deal. The stuff is only a hazard to people when it is exposed, which is why you're taking such care to build the cabinet and do it right. These things do not spontaneously combust. Speaking of which, is your homeowner's insurance paid up?

[javeryh]

I personally think there is nothing wrong with this, in fact, use it to your advantage. Feel free to use any of these

"Don't drink the beer, it's poisonous"
"The perfume/lipstick on my shirt was to keep vampires away"
"The TV remote has woman cooties"

Haha - those are great.

Once it is inside the "case" is there anything to really worry about?  I think there is adequate ventilation (two 80mm fans blowing air across the cab, one 80mm fan on the floor blowing air upward on the back of the monitor and one fan on the motherboard to cool the processor).  Once I'm finished I'm going to close it up and let it run for a few hours to see how hot it actually gets in there...

[MameMaster!]

Buy fire insurance and an extinguisher. 

[MYX]

If you have to take the thing up several stairs and someone slips and lets go, the person on the underside could get squished. So, technically it could kill someone. Also if a tornado picked it up and flings it through the window of another house, that could kill a person who might happen to be walking by that window. Or what if like a meteor passed near by the earth and sprinkled cosmic dust and landed on your cocktail causing it to come to life and eat the whole family except you.(It would see you as it's master since you made it). How would you feel then? But I thought it was safe... That'll teach you.

[arcadefever]

some peoples on this forum use JEDI skills 

[pointdablame]

Just tell her that when I decased my monitor, I only had 3 arcade-related fatalities.   I mean... if that doesn't convince her that its safe, nothing will.

[greaser]

build her a tinfoil hat

Forgo the tinfoil hat and have her don an Energy Dome (Devo hat) instead.

[saint]

1. I'd love to see Ken Layton give his take on this -- moving this to the monitor forum.

2. Yes, you do potentially have something to worry about if it is not grounded properly. You didn't mention what kind of monitor it is. Different monitors have different grounding techniques. What kind of monitor is it?

I personally think there is nothing wrong with this, in fact, use it to your advantage. Feel free to use any of these

"Don't drink the beer, it's poisonous"
"The perfume/lipstick on my shirt was to keep vampires away"
"The TV remote has woman cooties"

Haha - those are great.

Once it is inside the "case" is there anything to really worry about?  I think there is adequate ventilation (two 80mm fans blowing air across the cab, one 80mm fan on the floor blowing air upward on the back of the monitor and one fan on the motherboard to cool the processor).  Once I'm finished I'm going to close it up and let it run for a few hours to see how hot it actually gets in there...

[javeryh]

Thanks saint - My monitor is a Vision Pro 19" Horizontal Mount Monitor (Happs Part Number 49-1337-VP2).  All kidding aside, I really am concerned about housing this thing properly.  Here's a pic of the back:



If there is something I'm supposed to do to ground it or whatever I'd really like to know...

THANKS!!

[NoOne=NBA=]

If there is something I'm supposed to do to ground it or whatever I'd really like to know...

Assuming your 19" is wired the same as my 29", the green wire from the plug should be connected to the frame with a screw.

I'd tell your wife that everything will be OK as long as everyone remembers to put all their extra quarters into the cabinet quarters as they pass by.
That will accomplish two things.
It will give HER piece of mind, and it will allow the cabinet to pay for its own upgrades.

[Havok]

And make sure to use a properly grounded three prong outlet - you can purchase a basic plug in unit from home depot or the like that plugs into the outlet and verifies that the outlet is wired correctly. As long as you have a properly grounded outlet, and monitor, it is completely safe.

[javeryh]

If there is something I'm supposed to do to ground it or whatever I'd really like to know...

Assuming your 19" is wired the same as my 29", the green wire from the plug should be connected to the frame with a screw.

I'd tell your wife that everything will be OK as long as everyone remembers to put all their extra quarters into the cabinet quarters as they pass by.
That will accomplish two things.
It will give HER piece of mind, and it will allow the cabinet to pay for its own upgrades.

I do have the little green wire coming out of the plug wire and screwed to the frame... so this is all that's necessary? 

Nice idea about the quarters - I've actually got a button on the CP I'm setting for "free play" but I'm thinking of puttin a switch in between it and the coin door so I can charge the neighbor's kids.   

And make sure to use a properly grounded three prong outlet - you can purchase a basic plug in unit from home depot or the like that plugs into the outlet and verifies that the outlet is wired correctly. As long as you have a properly grounded outlet, and monitor, it is completely safe.

I'm plugging it into a smartstrip and then the smartstrip into the wall.  I hope that's enough...

[gamecreature]

Thanks saint - My monitor is a Vision Pro 19" Horizontal Mount Monitor (Happs Part Number 49-1337-VP2).  All kidding aside, I really am concerned about housing this thing properly.  Here's a pic of the back:

If there is something I'm supposed to do to ground it or whatever I'd really like to know...

Good Lord, get rid of that thing! Very carefully put it in a box and send it to me immediately!

[NoOne=NBA=]

Nice idea about the quarters - I've actually got a button on the CP I'm setting for "free play" but I'm thinking of puttin a switch in between it and the coin door so I can charge the neighbor's kids.

I tried to do that with my sister's kids, but my wife wouldn't let me.

My plan was to let them weed the yard, and such, and pay them in quarters.
If they played the games, I'd get the money back.
If they didn't, I still got the weeding done.

Either way it was a winning situation for me.