I have a Telechron clock radio from the early 1950's. I'm going to build this circuit (it's in the middle of the page):
No problem. At 60 Hz, an open circuit is an open circuit. Do you even need the switch? LEDs are pretty reliable. The last Telechron clock I had had a neon dial lamp with no switch.
page):
Hi, Bryan. Sure, it will work fine with only one side of the line switched. As Mr. Rush says, an open circuit is an open circuit.
A couple of caveats, though. Many caps fail shorted in the event of overvoltage. You should use a line voltage rated, "self-healing" cap, which burns the section of the cap open where a surge or spike punches through. This will prevent the rest of the circuit from smoking.
You should also be aware that the surface of LEDs are not necessarily made to withstand line voltage. To be safe, put a lens or something else over the top of the LED to keep the user from touching it when powered, and also do not mount the LED directly in a metal chassis -- use a grommet or other method that will keep leakage current or arcover from the body of the LED to the chassis.
Good luck, and think safety whenever working with line voltage.
Cheers Chris
ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.