The Radio Workshop - Safety Video

Vintage valve radio repair and restoration, workshop safety. High voltages exist in valve radios and safety is of paramount importance. Aerials can also be dangerous during electrical storms. Here are a few tips to help keep you safe.

[@NigelDixon1952]

When you and I were boys it was all crystal sets if I remember correctly, Ray! I don't know how I missed this one, Ray, I thought I'd seen all your videos. I was here watching it thinking "wow, Ray's looking young", then I realised it's from 2015! Great advise by the way. A relative of mine who shall remain nameless, is terrified to hang wet washing on here water filled radiators because she said it would catch fire. However, she'd stack months worth of news papers on her old Radio Rentals valve TV.

[@g4nsj]

Crystal sets, happy days! I still look young haha! Cheers, Ray.

[@Dickinsonradiotv]

A gold fish bowl on top of a tv, I unplugged the pump and it back syphoned into the rear of the telly, bang! I was a trainee at the time!!

[@g4nsj]

Oops! The usual was a vase of flowers. Cheers, Ray.

[@philshort3445]

Hi Ray, good video. When I restored an old KW1000 HF linear amplifier I followed the following safety rules. Stand on a rubber mat and keep one hand behind your back. Worked for me, the KW1000 is now working fine and I'm still alive to prove it.

[@g4nsj]

+Phil Short Hi Phil, that's good news! Glad you liked the video.

[@kafkaian]

I like the idea of using electrician's gloves on the one hand when messing with old chassis, and leaving some dexterity in the other. Nice video, thanks

[@g4nsj]

kafkaian Good idea! Cheers, Ray.

[@bvtg7470]

Thanks for this very comprehensive video. An electronic workshop can be a very dangerous place.

[@g4nsj]

bvtg 74 Thanks for commenting. Cheers, Ray.

[@sparkybluefox]

Ray, you are AWESOME !

[@g4nsj]

Thank you!

[@m0dad]

Hi Ray, I have a friend who was a TV engineer and involved in amateur radio homebrew with valves, he has many similar stories and the same advice as yourself but its great to be reminded of the hints, tips and dangers. Great video 73 M0DAD

[@g4nsj]

+m0dad Excellent! Happy days!

[@wa8lhb539]

Although not an electrical safety issue, adding a light bulb in series would help decrease smoke inhalation :) as you mentioned in other videos.

[@g4nsj]

WA8LHB Yes, very true! Cheers, Ray.

[@rayhindle642]

Hi Ray, I have seen quite a few of these style of videos recently, I am 66 just recently retired and looking to get back into the radio tv field as a hobby during my retirement. I left radio and t.v. in my twenties to go into plastics, So why am I posting this comment? It's because when I started watching you in your first video I really felt that connection, possibly because you talked about your memories, the test card, the test transmission S,I,D,E, video, you brought back happy memories for me, Remember the colour test transmission about plastics too? Anyway, I just wanted to say I like your style of presentation, you address your viewers directly, It's as if I was sat at your bench listening to you talk, and you have the ability to break things down into easy to understand examples. Thank you for your time, I have liked and subscribed to your channel, and I am looking forwards to watching more...............Thank you. Ray Hindle.

[@g4nsj]

Hi Ray, That's really nice of you, thanks for your kind comments. Thanks also for subscribing. Yes, I remember the plastics test transmission very well. I hope to be making more videos soon so watch this space. All the best, Ray.

[@tommybewick]

Ray, this is why I subscribe to the members area of your website. your years of experience have taught me much, a great video. Thanks! 73, Tom

[@g4nsj]

Tom k2bew Thanks for commenting, Tom. Cheers, Ray.

[@g0fvt]

Ray, working mostly on 12/24v gear made me too complacent, I remember well a radio bursting into life as I was soldering an audio amp IC in, distracted with a friend in the shack etc. So power supply was still on.... no big deal. More scary was working in the PA compartment of a linear I was building, unplugging from the mains before diving in at every step. I had the plate blocking capacitor gripped tightly in my hand checking it was secured tightly when I caught a glimpse of the front panel meter... HT was still up. I had unplugged something else, not the amplifier.... to this day I don’t know how I missed getting a shock. Had to go away from the project and have a coffee before continuing, very shaken. Not sure what was more scary, the closeness to death or the possibility of getting the kiss of life from a G4.

[@g4nsj]

g0fvt I think we all suffer complacency at times. I gave an emergency power switch on the bench that I hit before working on gear. Cheers and take car, Ray.

[@SpectreOZ]

Nice words of wisdom Ray, I developed a very healthy respect for electricity at age 14 when I was tinkering with an old (powered up) reel-to-reel recorder, it was like being kicked in the chest my a horse and it knocked me clear across the room... not fun in any measure :)

[@g4nsj]

***** Nice to hear from you. I've had a couple of nasty shocks in my time. It's frightening!

[@johnwmacdonald994]

Thank you. I'm getting back into electronics in a limited way after being away from it for decades, so it's good to be reminded of all these little things. Static on an antenna was one I hadn't thought of, and the charge in large capacitors I had totally forgotten about until I read up on it.

[@g4nsj]

+John W MacDonald Hi John, I'm glad you found the video useful. Cheers, Ray.

[@jeepdog]

fantastic great video

[@g4nsj]

Thanks!

[@hamtrucker]

Great stuff!

[@ado75]

Washing on the back of the bloody Telly, that's classic!

[@g4nsj]

The things I saw back in those days were incredible!

[@Dj-Jon-E-C]

@@g4nsj Yeah I thought that was funny but also very silly to do

[@mikedennington8856]

always wise to listen to safety issues as so easy to make a simple mistake and end with a fire or indeed death...

[@grahampinkerton2091]

Hi Ray! It was not so much as an electrical shock that I had but it was deep burns from the octal rectifier valve base soldertags. It stunk a bit like burnt flesh. I had my hand bandaged up for a week- or two. I still have the scars to this day.

[@g4nsj]

Blimey! Glad you're still here!

[@robertjohnson5126]

Some unscrupulous radio manufacturers used the raw mains feed as an aerial connected via a leaky wax capacitor & a wander plug. Health & safety gone mad!

[@g4nsj]

Robert Johnson I've seen that many times. What were they thinking of? Crazy! Cheers, Ray.

[@TheRogey1]

Hanging basket over the top of the telly!!😩 Don't have metal watch straps,bangles etc,even rings😞

[@grahampinkerton2091]

The worst shock that i ever had was back in the mid sixties. On the bench was a digital Voltmeter not a Transistor one but full of valves and trochotrons one of the first dvm´s. it was a rack mounted one switched on. Me Standing with my back to the valve socked side. me chatting to some one. The back of my Hand came in contact with the rectifier valve base with a few hundreds of dc and ac Volts.on it. I had my Hand behind my back an did´nt realise the dvm was right behimd me and switched on. the result was I severely burnt the back of my Hand, and had to go to Hospital to get it seen to.

[@g4nsj]

Hi Graham, glad you lived to tell the tale! Cheers, Ray.