[AMRadio] boat anchors heathkit etc

[Phil Galasso]

The safest thing to do when you decide to apply power to an old rig (after
inspecting it carefully for frayed or burned wiring, obviously damaged
parts, and other such problems) is to connect a 100 watt light bulb in
series with the rig. If you have a Variac (variable autotransformer) for
gradually bringing up the line voltage, so much the better. If any filter
capacitors or solid state rectifiers are shorted, the bulb will glow to full
brightness and you won't blow any fuses or burn anything. Bringing up the
voltage slowly will allow electrolytic filter capacitors to "form". It is
usually a good idea to "shotgun" such capacitors, as they do deteriorate
with age.

I made up a test jig in a box with a standard light socket in series with a
receptacle. It has saved me a lot of grief.

Phil K2PG