Safe use of an old valve radio

[joolsmy]

Apologies if I'm posting this question in the wrong forum. I have an old valve radio that has been rewired internally so is basically sound. The problem is it has no provision for a protective earth, the internal chassis is wired to neutral (was live before rewiring!) and it is far from double insulated. The control knobs are on brass rods which obviously protrude from the wooden case, so pose a risk (they are mostly concealed by the bakelite knobs but you could slide a nail file behind them and contact the rods). The grub screws in the bakelite knobs are recessed and have been covered with a non-conducting wax-like substance but a determined poke with a sewing needle would probably break through to contact them.

Given all the above plus the ventilation holes in the back cover, would a permanently wired RCD plug provide sufficient protection?

 

[marconi]

Thanks for that, but to be honest I didn't want to read the government lie sheet.
You won't get a true picture from the government figures, there's too much money involved.
What I was actually hoping was, that you'd look and compare the safety record of modern equipment that you may well have in your home & in daily use against the item you wouldn't use due to your perception that being Vintage it was unsafe to use.

Can you help me do that or refer me to something please? I'd be interested to read it.

 

[Specialist]

Off hand I can't remember the web addresses to give to you, but there used to be a lot of good information on Appliances exploding, Hotpoint machines, Hoover / Beko catching fire etc @ www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk they also had information on the imported machines using Selenium rectifiers (Nasty). You could also try Google for exploding washing machine or tumble dryer fires, maybe look up appliance safety recalls.

 

[marconi]

Off hand I can't remember the web addresses to give to you, but there used to be a lot of good information on Appliances exploding, Hotpoint machines, Hoover / Beko catching fire etc @ www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk they also had information on the imported machines using Selenium rectifiers (Nasty). You could also try Google for exploding washing machine or tumble dryer fires, maybe look up appliance safety recalls.

I am drawing stumps now in this matter. I am going to use the dangerous gas hob to make a casserole whilst slowly getting on the outside of a bottle of white wine. And then ponder how lucky I am to be still alive.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Unfortunately there won't be enough comparable data to make a statistically significant comparison between the old and the new. Nor is personal experience usually helpful - neither Specialist nor I have ever had a vintage radio or TV catch fire but we're only two people so our observations are a drop in the ocean. However, the conditions under which we (including you, Marconi) would operate kit are not representative. We know what we are doing, we would spot potential problems in advance, and would be less likely to do stupid things that the general public do with monotonous regularity, that are usually included in the published stats. Historically, valve radios caused fires - but if there were published figures they would have included such avoidable causes as running resistance line cords* under rugs or curtains which you were specifically instructed not to do, and which we wouldn't do.

* These were used with compact AC/DC sets to remove some of the heat dissipation from within the set. They consisted of a 2-core power cable with a woven jacket, with a spiral wound resistance wire (heating element) along the length as a third core. This was connected together with the live core in the plug, to give a resistance-ballasted feed making up the difference between the mains voltage and the heater chain voltage. Different resistance values per foot were available for 0.1A and 0.3A heaters, but of course the resistance was only correct until some numpty shortened the cable. If he managed to re-terminate the resistance wire in the plug at all, things could get very hot indeed. And they would be run down the back of furniture and whatever to reach the socket, where the heat might be unseen. Much of the advice 'Never run a flex under a rug or carpet' was actually descended from the days of resistance line cord, where doing so could quite easily start a fire. The line cord itself didn't catch fire because it was made of Albatross.

 

[Specialist]

I am drawing stumps now in this matter. I am going to use the dangerous gas hob to make a casserole whilst slowly getting on the outside of a bottle of white wine. And then ponder how lucky I am to be still alive.

Ok, have a good night & enjoy.

 

[davesparks]

The line cord itself didn't catch fire because it was made of Albatross.

They must have had some pretty big rugs to hide an albatross under there!
I can't imagine the birds were too impressed either, did they have to sedate them?

 

[Specialist]

Resistance line cord, now your going into the dark reaches of the past not seen a midget set or one of those little nasties for many years.
I do actually remember going to an old house to service a TV & seeing a line of fire appear on the customers living room wall when a cord went up. (Set the wallpaper behind on fire).
Silly old fool had cut the cord for his radio & pinned it across the wall, luckily we were there & managed to pull the plug and put it out.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Oops, not Albatross, I meant Aspidistra. Anyway enjoy your meal Marconi.

 

[davesparks]

Oops, not Albatross, I meant Aspidistra. Anyway enjoy your meal Marconi.

You've certainly got a creative autocorrect going on there

 

[Lucien Nunes]

I don't want the thread to rank in searches for the A-word... people might get scared and dump their vintage radios. Anyway the jacket was cotton which is pretty safe, except when you weave it round an unfused heating element.

 

[davesparks]

I don't want the thread to rank in searches for the A-word... people might get scared and dump their vintage radios. Anyway the jacket was cotton which is pretty safe, except when you weave it round an unfused heating element.

Whilst we're on the subject of equipment with albatross insulation in it, I was at the duke of Yorks theatre the other day admiring their fine old grand master. That's a piece of vintage equipment I'd love to see back in use.

 

[Specialist]

I don't want the thread to rank in searches for the A-word... people might get scared and dump their vintage radios. Anyway the jacket was cotton which is pretty safe, except when you weave it round an unfused heating element.

Sorry, was having a Blond moment Removed the question.

Off to repair some CB radios now, hope nobody tries to tell me they're dangerous

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Well yes, I'd love to run a show on that or any of the few other survivors. The paradox is when they are historic parts of the building they are protected whilst in situ - we can't take them out but can't use them where they are - therefore they can't be used. I did once do a little ballpark costing of manufacturing a replica, a bit much to contemplate at the time. Coincidentally I think it was Jim Laws, a good friend and supporter of our museum project, whom I am sure you will know or at least know of Davesparks, whom I first heard call it Albatross.

Anyway we should start a separate thread for scary old theatre tech rather than risk tarring domestic radios with the same inflammable treacle.

 

[static zap]

As for thermionic devices in my house , The TV is gone
with its Xray risk , the microwave has nice covers to keep me out of the 2kV , and I'll be nostalgic with a valve radio,
well hoovered grill !
( but probably not leave it un attended )

Off to repair some CB radios now, hope nobody tries to tell me they're dangerous

I remember warm ears from a 4W handheld ,wearing headphones ?
(Video recorder fires -down , fridges up )

 

[OH-Gerd]

As for thermionic devices in my house , The TV is gone
with its Xray risk , the microwave has nice covers to keep me out of the 2kV , and I'll be nostalgic with a valve radio,
well hoovered grill !
( but probably not leave it un attended )

I remember warm ears from a 4W handheld ,wearing headphones ?
(Video recorder fires -down , fridges up )