[Boatanchors] Oily wires?

[Philip Atchley]

Hi,

Been working on this BC-1004 for a friend, re-capping it etc.  One thing 
that I noticed is that many of the bathtubs had leaked their oil.  For 
some strange reason this seems to have collected "primarily" on the wire 
harness that runs across the back of the set, and I'm not really sure 
how the oil ran "uphill" from the capacitors, unless the set was stored 
on it's "Pointy Little Head" (note the reference to a "Jefferson 
Starship" album). Anyway, I digress.

Much of this oil appears to have turned "black" over the years and is 
almost like crispy dried tar between harness and chassis.

Also on the underside of the chassis are large "blotchy" areas of what 
"looks" like MFP or varnish, except it's too thin and not over the 
entire unit.  I believe this is "also" leaked oil.

On working with this set I also have to presume this stuff probably had 
PCB's in it and am careful not to breath any soldering fumes etc and to 
wash my hands frequently while working on it (most of the residue seems 
dry).

MY REAL question is this.  I know the oil was used as an insulator in 
capacitors (I left the bathtubs in place, just cut them from the 
circuits).  Can I assume that the cotton coated wiring harness that was 
"contaminated" by it is still properly insulated from the chassis and 
each other?  The reason I ask is because I have no "authentic" 1930's 
1940's cotton coated wire to replace the harness with, it would have to 
be modern, brightly colored plastic stuff.  And besides, I don't 
"really" fancy replacing that harness anyway.

73 de Phil,  KO6BB
982 Different NDB's heard to date.

http://users.mercednet.com/beaconeer/
Merced, Central California, 37.3N  120.48W  CM97sh