Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Old June 3rd 10, 01:47 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors,rec.antiques.radio+phono
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Aug 2009
Posts: 6
Default Keeping old cloth covered cords healthy

All,
Is it possible to help old cloth-covered power cords keep their
flexiblity? Is there anything that can be applied to rejuvenate the
cotton covering to prevent fraying?
rgds,
Mark S.
  #2   Report Post  
Old June 3rd 10, 02:09 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors,rec.antiques.radio+phono
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Apr 2010
Posts: 6
Default Keeping old cloth covered cords healthy


"nc183d" wrote in message
...
All,
Is it possible to help old cloth-covered power cords keep their
flexiblity? Is there anything that can be applied to rejuvenate the
cotton covering to prevent fraying?
rgds,
Mark S.



I can only add a source for new, replacement cloth covered cord:

http://www.radiodaze.com/power.htm

There are others.
Paul P.

  #3   Report Post  
Old June 3rd 10, 04:09 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors,rec.antiques.radio+phono
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Aug 2008
Posts: 53
Default Keeping old cloth covered cords healthy

Mark,

Dry rot and the effects of time and environment can take their toll without
any way of
turning back. However, my wife whose college degree is in home economics,
suggests two
products usually carried at fabric stores (Jo-Ann, Hancock etc). She also
says fraying and
wear of cloth are two different problems in that fraying generally happens
on the edge of
cloth. Her suggestion is to get something called "spray sizing" and try
applying it to the cloth wire to
preserve or revitalize the fibers. (Obviously disconnect power...sigh...I
feel stupid having to
say that because I know everyone knows better but I am a victim of
"contemporary correctness" I guess).
To retard or stop fraying get a product called "Fraychek." Also sold at
fabric stores.
Good luck.

WA9VLK
  #4   Report Post  
Old June 3rd 10, 07:11 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors,rec.antiques.radio+phono
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Sep 2006
Posts: 20
Default Keeping old cloth covered cords healthy

On Jun 2, 8:09*pm, "SX-25" wrote:
Mark,

Dry rot and the effects of time and environment can take their toll without
any way of
turning back. However, my wife whose college degree is in home economics,
suggests two
products usually carried at fabric stores (Jo-Ann, Hancock etc). She also
says fraying and
wear of cloth are two different problems in that fraying generally happens
on the edge of
cloth. Her suggestion is to get something called "spray sizing" and try
applying it to the cloth wire to
preserve or revitalize the fibers. (Obviously disconnect power...sigh...I
feel stupid having to
say that because I know everyone knows better but I am a victim of
"contemporary correctness" I guess).
To retard or stop fraying get a product called "Fraychek." Also sold at
fabric stores.
Good luck.

WA9VLK *


My $0.02 to add to Mark's comments is that the cloth outer serving as
well as the cotton woven over each conductor is usually covering a
rubber insulation on the copper wires. The rubber is intended to
provide a continuous seal and insulating spacing between the copper
and cotton, and since the rubber is usually well perished and
crumbling by now, it no longer is able to do it's intended job. IMHO,
it is folly to use perished cloth covered cord where a wrong flex can
easily cause strands of copper to push through the cotton and contact
each other or an external conductor [such as the user] with attendent
risk of fire, or, should a liquid be spilled on the fabric it could
easly come in contact with the copper condictors through the cracking
of the ancient rubber, again posing a shock and/or fire risk.
Personally, I always replace all the primary wiring with new,
approved, wire and add a fuse on transformer sets.

Neil S.
  #5   Report Post  
Old June 3rd 10, 01:36 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors,rec.antiques.radio+phono
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 774
Default Keeping old cloth covered cords healthy

nc183d wrote:
All,
Is it possible to help old cloth-covered power cords keep their
flexiblity? Is there anything that can be applied to rejuvenate the
cotton covering to prevent fraying?
rgds,


I have actually not seen the cloth coverings degrade over the years other
than from mechanical abrasion. You can try washing them in Woolite (no joke!)
to get them nice and clean, and then just treating them carefully.

Abrasion will kill them very quickly, and once they start to fray they will
just get worse and worse. A little clear lacquer on damaged parts can keep
the damage from spreading.

A lot of those cords were made with natural rubber insulation and then an
outer cloth jacket. The cloth usually outlives the internal insulation
which becomes hard and crumbly. When this happens, the cord MUST be replaced.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."


  #6   Report Post  
Old June 5th 10, 03:24 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors,rec.antiques.radio+phono
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jun 2010
Posts: 2
Default Keeping old cloth covered cords healthy

If the cord is in a condition that causes you to ask this question, then it
must be replaced. Safety and reliability are always the number one goal of
any radio work. Generally, all cords should be replaced, especially those
that are that old. Cloth-covered reproduction power cord is available.


"nc183d" wrote in message
...
All,
Is it possible to help old cloth-covered power cords keep their
flexiblity? Is there anything that can be applied to rejuvenate the
cotton covering to prevent fraying?
rgds,
Mark S.


  #7   Report Post  
Old June 6th 10, 03:33 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors,rec.antiques.radio+phono
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by RadioBanter: May 2010
Posts: 7
Default Keeping old cloth covered cords healthy

Aren't we being a little melodramatic? Cloth covering that is worn or
discolored
does not always indicate a break down of the inner insulation. Roll back the
cloth a little and take a look. If the rubber is defective it will be
evident by
flexing it. Let's not always fall on the sword and over-analyze.


If the cord is in a condition that causes you to ask this question, then
it must be replaced. Safety and reliability are always the number one
goal of any radio work. Generally, all cords should be replaced,
especially those that are that old. Cloth-covered reproduction power
cord is available.



  #8   Report Post  
Old June 7th 10, 12:30 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.boatanchors,rec.antiques.radio+phono
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Jun 2010
Posts: 2
Default Keeping old cloth covered cords healthy

I will maintain that any electrical cord on anything, that is as old as
we're talking about here, should be replaced. We "shotgun" capacitors.
Same thing - part of a restoration.

Of course if you're just talking about a cosmetic restoration (in a museum
or on a shelf, never to be plugged in) then of course that's a different
story.


"Denton" wrote in message
m...
Aren't we being a little melodramatic? Cloth covering that is worn or
discolored
does not always indicate a break down of the inner insulation. Roll back
the
cloth a little and take a look. If the rubber is defective it will be
evident by
flexing it. Let's not always fall on the sword and over-analyze.


If the cord is in a condition that causes you to ask this question, then
it must be replaced. Safety and reliability are always the number one
goal of any radio work. Generally, all cords should be replaced,
especially those that are that old. Cloth-covered reproduction power
cord is available.



Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
FA 1/4" patchbay cables TRS red cloth jackets jeff Swap 0 April 21st 06 06:15 AM
OT RHF gets lesson in healthy American politics David Shortwave 9 September 12th 05 03:52 PM
vor, altimeter, 100 feet of carbon fiber cloth [email protected] Equipment 1 February 13th 05 01:58 AM
Source For Hammarlund Grill Cloth?? hobbes Boatanchors 1 September 30th 04 04:39 AM
WTB-grill cloth for National 'cosmic blue' speakers EZela57383 Boatanchors 0 September 28th 03 10:02 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:11 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 RadioBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Radio"

 

Copyright © 2017