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My $5 flea market lamp literally caught fire when I plugged it in yesterday
Picked it up at the swap meet in Riverside last Sunday, thought it just needed a new bulb. Plugged it in, heard a pop, and then saw smoke coming from the base. Had to unplug it fast and throw it outside. Total loss. Always check the wiring on old electrical stuff, I guess, but who really does that every time? Anyone have a good method for testing this junk before you bring it home?
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kellymurphy6mo ago
A multimeter is the real test.
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thompson.christopher5mo ago
Right, because who needs trust when you've got that satisfying beep from continuity mode telling you the cord that looks like it was chewed by a 1980s pet rabbit might actually work for a whole five seconds. Nothing beats the moment you plug in an old turntable and your multimeter just goes "nah, not today" while the glowing tubes flicker like a dying star. But hey, at least the outlet tester is cheaper than the fire extinguisher you'll inevitably need. Classic thrift store logic: if it doesn't visibly smoke in the first three seconds, it's a win.
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paul3306mo ago
That's the gamble with cheap vintage stuff, you're basically buying a mystery box. A basic outlet tester is cheap insurance before you ever plug something in.
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