AC/DC radios are horribly dangerous. I grew up when they were the most common type of radios and still remember the sound of sirens in the night and the sight of all the ambulances lined up on the block each morning.

These radios would just reach out and electrocute people. Why you couldn't even take them into the bathtub with you! Nor could you plug one in, take it apart and grasp the wiring while standing barefoot in a mud puddle without getting a shock. Now who would ever suspect that was a bad idea? No reasonable person would ever think that poking around in one with a table knife would be a bad idea, especially if it was sitting beside the kitchen sink. I just never understood why such dangerous things were allowed to be sold to unsuspecting people.

Table lamps are a different matter. They have their metal parts isolated from the electrical wires by small pieces of cardboard and are perfectly safe to take into the bathtub. Lighted bathing is a joy that most people miss out on because they just don't realize how much safer this is than just touching an AC/DC radio that's sitting on a table in the living room.

Hey Ralph, I suppose after having your bath, listening to the AC/DC radio in the tub with the lamp on, you probably went for a cruise in your '61 Corvair.

Okay, so a lot of people didn't die, but there is no reason not to keep improving things. However, with old radios, just using common sense should be adequate unless others in your household use these radios and may not be as careful. I use a GFCI outlet at my workbench and I think that should be adequate to protect me when I am working on a set. I also salvaged the cord from a hair dryer that has the GFCI built into the plug and added an outlet to the end. I use that as an extension cord with certain radios. I know most folks recommend an isolation transformer, but a GFCI outlet is probably just as safe. Anyone have thoughts on this? Mark from Kalamazoo

GFI offers NO protection from self injury. The chassis is still hot as to any ground. Isolation transformer is just about a must on any work bench.

:GFI offers NO protection from self injury. The chassis is still hot as to any ground. Isolation transformer is just about a must on any work bench.
:
You think jumping back and falling off your work stool could cause injury? The purpose of a GFI is to cut off the circuit if it senses that the current is high enough to cause injury, not to prevent a shock.

A GFI is helpful when there a line-to-ground anomaly within an appliance. It is particularly desirable for metal-cased radios, whether they are AC/DC or transformer-based, provided that the case is connected to house ground via a 3-conductor line cord. But it csnnot be counted on to safeguard against electrical shock when one has the appliance "opened up" and therefore exposed to either line voltage or B+.

If one observes common sense precautions there is no reason to fear electrocution from "hot chassis" sets. Probably a bigger safety threat is contacting B+ in a way that puts current flow through the chest.

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:If one observes common sense precautions there is no reason to fear electrocution from "hot chassis" sets. Probably a bigger safety threat is contacting B+ in a way that puts current flow through the chest.
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Common sense requires some knowledge of the circumstances and many people are just too lazy to acquire that knowledge.

I think that the Darwin Effect should be allowed to operate in an unconstrained manner.

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::If one observes common sense precautions there is no reason to fear electrocution from "hot chassis" sets. Probably a bigger safety threat is contacting B+ in a way that puts current flow through the chest.
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:Common sense requires some knowledge of the circumstances and many people are just too lazy to acquire that knowledge.
I caught my daughter using a hair straightener with an exposed cord on the handle. She said the light wont come on unless she bends the wire and holds it in place. She got an education before Darwin got her. When we are not wary of electrical hazards, that's when the trouble starts.

:.........
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::If one observes common sense precautions there is no reason to fear electrocution from "hot chassis" sets. Probably a bigger safety threat is contacting B+ in a way that puts current flow through the chest.
::
:
:Common sense requires some knowledge of the circumstances and many people are just too lazy to acquire that knowledge.
I caught my daughter using a hair straightener with an exposed cord on the handle. She said the light wont come on unless she bends the wire and holds it in place. She got an education before Darwin got her. When we are not wary of electrical hazards, that's when the trouble starts. Remember the stories of the ladies pulling the vacuum cords from the outlet by the cord from across the room. That's why the plugs are so fat now.

GFCIs detect when current is flowing from the hot side to ground instead of from the hot side to the neutral side, cutting the power. Such would be the case if one touched the hot chassis of a radio and current started to flow through your body to ground. They wouldn't detect current flowing through your body, such as if you were using both hands and caused a short circuit. But an isolation transformer would also not stop current from flowing through you in the case of a short circuit, only from the radio to ground. One always must observe the one-hand method when working on a live radio (use one hand to work, the other stays behind your back). I also wear rubber soled shoes and stand on a rubber mat for safety. If GFCIs were not effective, they would not be code requirement as they are now, especially in wet areas where it is possible for electricity to flow through you to ground. Mark from Kalamazoo

GFI's are effective in preventing an electrical shock caused by getting between the hot side of the line and ground from resulting in an injury due to the effects of electricity on the human body. They do not prevent shocks of any sort and cannot prevent shocks from causing physical injuries due to the body's reaction to a shock. Falling off a ladder generally is not good, not matter what the cause.

:AC/DC radios are horribly dangerous. I grew up when they were the most common type of radios and still remember the sound of sirens in the night and the sight of all the ambulances lined up on the block each morning.
:
:These radios would just reach out and electrocute people. Why you couldn't even take them into the bathtub with you! Nor could you plug one in, take it apart and grasp the wiring while standing barefoot in a mud puddle without getting a shock. Now who would ever suspect that was a bad idea? No reasonable person would ever think that poking around in one with a table knife would be a bad idea, especially if it was sitting beside the kitchen sink. I just never understood why such dangerous things were allowed to be sold to unsuspecting people.
:
:Table lamps are a different matter. They have their metal parts isolated from the electrical wires by small pieces of cardboard and are perfectly safe to take into the bathtub. Lighted bathing is a joy that most people miss out on because they just don't realize how much safer this is than just touching an AC/DC radio that's sitting on a table in the living room.
:
Toasters haven't changed much either, neither have hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, or the car for that matter. The only differences between the lot is a polarized plug an added fuse and maybe a ridiculous computer chip. When metal cases are an issue its a three prong plug. When these are incorporated in a tube radio, the result is the same. Don't use a water hose to clean an electrical appliance when its plugged in, or at all for that matter.

::AC/DC radios are horribly dangerous. I grew up when they were the most common type of radios and still remember the sound of sirens in the night and the sight of all the ambulances lined up on the block each morning.
::
::These radios would just reach out and electrocute people. Why you couldn't even take them into the bathtub with you! Nor could you plug one in, take it apart and grasp the wiring while standing barefoot in a mud puddle without getting a shock. Now who would ever suspect that was a bad idea? No reasonable person would ever think that poking around in one with a table knife would be a bad idea, especially if it was sitting beside the kitchen sink. I just never understood why such dangerous things were allowed to be sold to unsuspecting people.
::
::Table lamps are a different matter. They have their metal parts isolated from the electrical wires by small pieces of cardboard and are perfectly safe to take into the bathtub. Lighted bathing is a joy that most people miss out on because they just don't realize how much safer this is than just touching an AC/DC radio that's sitting on a table in the living room.
::
:Toasters haven't changed much either, neither have hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, or the car for that matter. The only differences between the lot is a polarized plug an added fuse and maybe a ridiculous computer chip. When metal cases are an issue its a three prong plug. When these are incorporated in a tube radio, the result is the same. Don't use a water hose to clean an electrical appliance when its plugged in, or at all for that matter.
:
::I have some electrical tools at home & they are double insulated. Are they safe with a two wire plug that has both prongs that are the same dimensions & can be put in the socket in either direction? What does double insulated mean? Better insulation or designed different?

:::AC/DC radios are horribly dangerous. I grew up when they were the most common type of radios and still remember the sound of sirens in the night and the sight of all the ambulances lined up on the block each morning.
:::
:::These radios would just reach out and electrocute people. Why you couldn't even take them into the bathtub with you! Nor could you plug one in, take it apart and grasp the wiring while standing barefoot in a mud puddle without getting a shock. Now who would ever suspect that was a bad idea? No reasonable person would ever think that poking around in one with a table knife would be a bad idea, especially if it was sitting beside the kitchen sink. I just never understood why such dangerous things were allowed to be sold to unsuspecting people.
:::
:::Table lamps are a different matter. They have their metal parts isolated from the electrical wires by small pieces of cardboard and are perfectly safe to take into the bathtub. Lighted bathing is a joy that most people miss out on because they just don't realize how much safer this is than just touching an AC/DC radio that's sitting on a table in the living room.
:::
::Toasters haven't changed much either, neither have hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, or the car for that matter. The only differences between the lot is a polarized plug an added fuse and maybe a ridiculous computer chip. When metal cases are an issue its a three prong plug. When these are incorporated in a tube radio, the result is the same. Don't use a water hose to clean an electrical appliance when its plugged in, or at all for that matter.
::
:::I have some electrical tools at home & they are double insulated. Are they safe with a two wire plug that has both prongs that are the same dimensions & can be put in the socket in either direction? What does double insulated mean? Better insulation or designed different?
:

::::AC/DC radios are horribly dangerous. I grew up when they were the most common type of radios and still remember the sound of sirens in the night and the sight of all the ambulances lined up on the block each morning.
::::
::::These radios would just reach out and electrocute people. Why you couldn't even take them into the bathtub with you! Nor could you plug one in, take it apart and grasp the wiring while standing barefoot in a mud puddle without getting a shock. Now who would ever suspect that was a bad idea? No reasonable person would ever think that poking around in one with a table knife would be a bad idea, especially if it was sitting beside the kitchen sink. I just never understood why such dangerous things were allowed to be sold to unsuspecting people.
::::
::::Table lamps are a different matter. They have their metal parts isolated from the electrical wires by small pieces of cardboard and are perfectly safe to take into the bathtub. Lighted bathing is a joy that most people miss out on because they just don't realize how much safer this is than just touching an AC/DC radio that's sitting on a table in the living room.
::::
:::Toasters haven't changed much either, neither have hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, or the car for that matter. The only differences between the lot is a polarized plug an added fuse and maybe a ridiculous computer chip. When metal cases are an issue its a three prong plug. When these are incorporated in a tube radio, the result is the same. Don't use a water hose to clean an electrical appliance when its plugged in, or at all for that matter.
:::
::::I have some electrical tools at home & they are double insulated. Are they safe with a two wire plug that has both prongs that are the same dimensions & can be put in the socket in either direction? What does double insulated mean? Better insulation or designed different?
::
:
:Right after we bought our house, I installed GFCI outlets in the kitchen and bathrooms, the type where you can put the GFCI in the first outlet, and all the others are protected. The next day, my wife decided to wash the toaster. In a stainless steel sink. When I came home from work, she said the kitchen outlets weren't working. I found the GFCI tripped, and pressing reset, had power again. Then she told me: "Oh, I forgot to unplug the toaster when I went to wash it, and got a small shock, and something over there went 'click'." The toaster now sleeps with the other garbage in a landfill. My wife now knows more about grounding of outlets in houses.
Lewis

:::::AC/DC radios are horribly dangerous. I grew up when they were the most common type of radios and still remember the sound of sirens in the night and the sight of all the ambulances lined up on the block each morning.
:::::
:::::These radios would just reach out and electrocute people. Why you couldn't even take them into the bathtub with you! Nor could you plug one in, take it apart and grasp the wiring while standing barefoot in a mud puddle without getting a shock. Now who would ever suspect that was a bad idea? No reasonable person would ever think that poking around in one with a table knife would be a bad idea, especially if it was sitting beside the kitchen sink. I just never understood why such dangerous things were allowed to be sold to unsuspecting people.
:::::
:::::Table lamps are a different matter. They have their metal parts isolated from the electrical wires by small pieces of cardboard and are perfectly safe to take into the bathtub. Lighted bathing is a joy that most people miss out on because they just don't realize how much safer this is than just touching an AC/DC radio that's sitting on a table in the living room.
:::::
::::Toasters haven't changed much either, neither have hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, or the car for that matter. The only differences between the lot is a polarized plug an added fuse and maybe a ridiculous computer chip. When metal cases are an issue its a three prong plug. When these are incorporated in a tube radio, the result is the same. Don't use a water hose to clean an electrical appliance when its plugged in, or at all for that matter.
::::
:::::I have some electrical tools at home & they are double insulated. Are they safe with a two wire plug that has both prongs that are the same dimensions & can be put in the socket in either direction? What does double insulated mean? Better insulation or designed different?
:::
::
::Right after we bought our house, I installed GFCI outlets in the kitchen and bathrooms, the type where you can put the GFCI in the first outlet, and all the others are protected. The next day, my wife decided to wash the toaster. In a stainless steel sink. When I came home from work, she said the kitchen outlets weren't working. I found the GFCI tripped, and pressing reset, had power again. Then she told me: "Oh, I forgot to unplug the toaster when I went to wash it, and got a small shock, and something over there went 'click'." The toaster now sleeps with the other garbage in a landfill. My wife now knows more about grounding of outlets in houses.
:Lewis
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:
That is hilarious.

No. Your tools are dangerous and you should stop using them immediately. Double insulated is just a marketing term to make you think they are safe. To make sure your tools don't harm anyone send them to me and I'll make sure no one else comes in contact with them.

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I have some electrical tools at home & they are double insulated. Are they safe with a two wire plug that has both prongs that are the same dimensions & can be put in the socket in either direction? What does double insulated mean? Better insulation or designed different?
:

:No. Your tools are dangerous and you should stop using them immediately. Double insulated is just a marketing term to make you think they are safe. To make sure your tools don't harm anyone send them to me and I'll make sure no one else comes in contact with them.
:
:.....................
:I have some electrical tools at home & they are double insulated. Are they safe with a two wire plug that has both prongs that are the same dimensions & can be put in the socket in either direction? What does double insulated mean? Better insulation or designed different?
::
: The tools I have are SEARS. They have been sold that way for YEARS & YEARS. How can SEARS get by with this? Is someone paying them off to keep this knowledge out of peoples heads? I KNOW who the mfg. is but I'll keep that to myself for now??!! There is a way to tell who made what.SEARS doesn't broadcast that info. because they want you to order parts from THEM!!!! But thank you all for the feedback. Much appreciated. They told me this a long, long time ago when times were not so tough. Times are a lot worse now. You could bet your bottom dollar they are keeping it a bigger secret now. I also have ideas how not to let other people get a hold of them.
:

::No. Your tools are dangerous and you should stop using them immediately. Double insulated is just a marketing term to make you think they are safe. To make sure your tools don't harm anyone send them to me and I'll make sure no one else comes in contact with them.
::
::.....................
::I have some electrical tools at home & they are double insulated. Are they safe with a two wire plug that has both prongs that are the same dimensions & can be put in the socket in either direction? What does double insulated mean? Better insulation or designed different?
:::
:: The tools I have are SEARS. They have been sold that way for YEARS & YEARS. How can SEARS get by with this? Is someone paying them off to keep this knowledge out of peoples heads? I KNOW who the mfg. is but I'll keep that to myself for now??!! There is a way to tell who made what.SEARS doesn't broadcast that info. because they want you to order parts from THEM!!!! But thank you all for the feedback. Much appreciated. They told me this a long, long time ago when times were not so tough. Times are a lot worse now. You could bet your bottom dollar they are keeping it a bigger secret now. I also have ideas how not to let other people get a hold of them.
::
:
:How are you sure the product doesnt meet the specifications for use. Double insulated just means theirs more rubber, (insulating) material on the handles than 5 dollar variety that has nothing, including teeth that wear on the first use. I have the general purpose one sleeve rubber insulators on the pliers I picked up at the home depot for less then $10.00. I have not been shocked while tottering around a live chassis or live anything for that matter because I avoid being a ground. Two hands in is a no-no. So is making yourself a ground by working in puddles while covered in ground wires connected to earth grounds and sneezing on the work while spilling coffee, blah blah blah.

These radios can be operated SAFER using the methods below:

1) Connect an isolation transformer. This "isolates" the chassis from the AC mains.

2) Use a polarized plug, and re-wire the radio so the hot side of the line is switched and not the chassis side. Provided the plug and outlet polarity are correct, this will provide some protection.

3) Use a GFCI outlet or plug (sich as a hair dryer cord). This will disconnect the radio when the return current is not the same as the sending current (as in giving someone a shock). Note: If also implementing #1, the GFCI needs to be on the SECONDARY side of the isolation transformer to really protect.

:AC/DC radios are horribly dangerous. I grew up when they were the most common type of radios and still remember the sound of sirens in the night and the sight of all the ambulances lined up on the block each morning.
:
:These radios would just reach out and electrocute people. Why you couldn't even take them into the bathtub with you! Nor could you plug one in, take it apart and grasp the wiring while standing barefoot in a mud puddle without getting a shock. Now who would ever suspect that was a bad idea? No reasonable person would ever think that poking around in one with a table knife would be a bad idea, especially if it was sitting beside the kitchen sink. I just never understood why such dangerous things were allowed to be sold to unsuspecting people.
:
:Table lamps are a different matter. They have their metal parts isolated from the electrical wires by small pieces of cardboard and are perfectly safe to take into the bathtub. Lighted bathing is a joy that most people miss out on because they just don't realize how much safer this is than just touching an AC/DC radio that's sitting on a table in the living room.
: