I used to hate fixing old tube radios until a guy in Cleveland showed me a trick with a dim bulb tester.

Now I always plug them into a 40 watt bulb first, which saved my vintage Zenith from a short last week. Anyone else have a go-to safety step for old gear?

3 comments

3 Comments

danielh8125d ago

That dim bulb trick is a lifesaver for sure! Just a heads up, a 40-watt bulb might not limit current enough for a bigger radio. For a typical AA5 set, starting with a 15-watt bulb is a safer bet to really choke down that inrush current.

elizabethblack25d agoMost Upvoted

My grandpa used to test old tube stuff with a string of Christmas lights, lol. He'd just plug it into the light socket.

rubyreed11d ago

Actually my old Zenith pulls so much current a 15-watt bulb would just stay dark. I've always used a 60-watt for testing and it shows a nice dim glow when everything's working right. The higher wattage still gives you plenty of protection without being too restrictive.