Electro shock from vu meter needle?

Just got electrified while calibrating the meter of my manley variable mu. I'm lucky it was no high current. Had the vu meter shades removed and accidently touched the needle when it happened. How is that possible? Shouldn't it be safe to touch the meter needle ?!
Beyond that i experienced a short when i went with the screw driver through the front panel to the trim pot. Could be i touched something else down there. But when it happend, the meter needle moved quickly right-left and then shrinked together like shrinking tube (it went from straight to some kind of S-shape..) weird thing. Grounding issue? No current on the case itself. The unit is from '95 - maybe i should let the whole unit check by some professionals.  :-[

The needle in a meter can have voltage on it depending on the meter design. You shouldn't need the cover off the meter to adjust it.

..yes, meter hangs off the anodes of the 6386's in both old and new units. But meter mechanic zero trim screw should be/is isolated.

Jakob E.

radardoug said:

The needle in a meter can have voltage on it depending on the meter design. You shouldn't need the cover off the meter to adjust it.

Click to expand...

Good to know.

well somehow there was a voltage peak which caused the needle to shrink together and that's why i wanted to make it straight again..

gyraf said:

..yes, meter hangs off the anodes of the 6386's in both old and new units. But meter mechanic zero trim screw should be/is isolated.

Jakob E.

Click to expand...

great. didn't know that. is there a circuit layout available? couldn't find anything. unit needs a recap but service asks for 210€ + retube