How to pronounce accelerator?

[keannu]

In a reading comprehension test, I heard accelerator as [ɪk|seləreɪtə(r)] not [ək|seləreɪtə(r)]
I mean ac(ək) was pronounced as [ik], Is it common in American English?
or did I mishear the schwa sound?

 

[thatone]

/ɪ/ and /ə/ are very similar and often interchangeable in AmE. In fact the "correct" transcription should be "-ɪk."

 

[raindoctor]

Are you sure? you hear /æ/ like CAT vowel, even though it (ac) is not stressed.

syllable division: ac-CEL-e-RA-tor

 

[birdeen's call]

/æ/ is possible and so are /ɪ/, /ə/ and perhaps even /ɛ/. So say the dictionaries I have access to.