Discussions

I recently purchased a home stereo amplifier that hasn’t been used since the ‘90s. I would like to use a variac to power it up, so it doesn’t go “poof”!  
 
I’ve had two receivers that were severely damaged by turning them on after they hadn’t been used for many years. I damaged the first one myself (when I didn’t know any better) and a local repair shop damaged one that I took in for repairs.  
 
I ended up taking the second one to Don Voth in Winnipeg (thanks to fellow eBrandon members for recommending him!). It cost $300 to repair the damage that the Bdn shop inflicted upon that amp!  
 
So, long story short, does anyone in Brandon have a variac that can be used for this purpose?

Are these old tube amps? If not just take cover off and make sure you blow out all the old dust, and shouldn't have a problem. For tube amps I use a good power conditioner to avoid voltage spikes. I use power conditioners on tube amps for all use just to make sure that they always run at right power

Sorry, I should have clarified.  
 
They are both amps/receivers from the 70’s. I’m very leery to power one up now that I’ve had severe damage to two of them. One was worth repairing, while the other one would cost more to repair than it’s worth.

of immediate failure upon power up of old equipment is dirty pots, controls and switches. Also look for visable corossion on PCB due to improper storage and moisture damage. Clean it all first. A variac will only blow it up slower.

when I pick up a “new to me” amp/receiver is clean the pots, controls and switches. The two pieces in question were very clean inside with no visible signs of damage, inside or out.

Have couple variacs. Seldom used anymore. Amps made in 70's normally heavily fused. Later 80's had shut down circuits for overload protection in case of bad speaker or wire. Basically on old amps they can't be hurt . Primary fused as well as secondary and output circuits.

Thanks for sharing! I’m leaning towards making a dim bulb tester, as they’re pretty inexpensive to make.  
 
I would just like a little piece of mind the next time I power up an old amp after it sat for 20 years. Like I said in my original post, I’m very leery after damaging two pieces upon power up.

Capacitors can go bad in the old amps and receivers after sitting unused for many years. I've actually only had it happen once myself with an old radio from the early seventies. I plugged in an old TV that hadn't been used in over twenty years. I turned it on and it worked. It says on the back that it was made in 1974. It's B&W, but cool that it still works after all those years.