A friend told me my old radio fix was a fire risk and I had to listen

I was really proud of getting my 1970s tube radio working again last month. I had replaced a few capacitors and a resistor, and it sounded great. Then a friend who used to be an electrician came over, took one look at the back, and said, 'You didn't replace the power cord, did you? That old cloth-covered wire is brittle and the plug prongs are loose.' He was right. I had focused on the inside parts but ignored the cord because it looked fine. He told me that old insulation can crack and short out, and a loose plug can arc and get hot. It was a real wake-up call. I ordered a new, safe power cord the next day and swapped it out. It was a simple fix I should have done first. Has anyone else had a close call with old wiring they thought was okay?

2 comments

2 Comments

tessac2529d ago

Check the wall outlet for old wiring too.

kelly.parker29d ago

My grandma's old floor lamp from the 50s. The plug felt warm after being on an hour. I finally cut the cord open and the inside wires were totally brown and crispy. It's scary how the outside can look perfect while the inside is just dust. Good on you for fixing it. That old cloth covering hides a lot of sins.