Incredible Swap meet find imo

[oldovernew]

Hello and good afternoon garage friends from all over. Nice beautiful weather here in CA today. Was a perfect morning for a swap meet in fall, Christmas stuff everywhere as everyone is probably in Christmas spirit after this disappointing Halloween this year. Just wanted to share what I found today and bought. It is a snap on MT-630 6v/12v battery charger. Just got it home gave it a good eye with my dad who knows a few things about electrical and we turned it on successfully and both 6v and 12v options right one the money on a meter. Picked it up for 70 dollars. Seller was older gentleman that got it from an auction storage and seemed like he rushed over to the swapmeet said he didn’t know if it worked or not. Looks like I got lucky finally.

 

[PlanB]

Even if it doesn't work, its cool

 

[Stubby1743]

I would be very cautious about using it to charge a battery. Having a selenium, rather than a silicon rectifier means that it pretty old. At a minimum I would open it up and carefully visually check all the wiring and components and remove all the dust, dead bugs etc.

 

[d42jeep]

Cool find. That would be a nice addition to the Snap-on thread.

Lets make an all vintage Snap-on tool picture thread!

Not that the other vintage ratchet and wrench threads aren't cool, they definitely are, but I know there are a lot of Snap on nuts here, and many that have rare Snap on tools that fit neither the ratchet or wrench threads, or any other vintage tool threads that have been started. I've posted a...

www.garagejournal.com

-Don

 

[oldovernew]

I would be very cautious about using it to charge a battery. Having a selenium, rather than a silicon rectifier means that it pretty old. At a minimum I would open it up and carefully visually check all the wiring and components and remove all the dust, dead bugs etc.

Why would selenium be a worry? And already did everything is good and was completely clean. Some was using it regularly before I got it.

 

[Stubby1743]

I didn't say that selenium was a worry. It's just an indication of the chargers age as such things have used silicon rectifiers for 40 years or so. The internal wiring of a charger of that sort of age needs careful inspection before use. I can't see from your pictures whether the mains cable has two or three conductors. If it has only two (no ground), that is a cause for concern with a unit of that age with a metal case.

 

[Shiftless]

I too suggest checking the wiring on old electrically powered anything. Insulation deteriorates with age and that charger is probably what… at least 60 years old.
If you use it, I would make sure it’s plugged into a GFCI protected receptacle. All of yours are…right?

 

[oldovernew]

I didn't say that selenium was a worry. It's just an indication of the chargers age as such things have used silicon rectifiers for 40 years or so. The internal wiring of a charger of that sort of age needs careful inspection before use. I can't see from your pictures whether the mains cable has two or three conductors. If it has only two (no ground), that is a cause for concern with a unit of that age with a metal case.

Oh okay I was concerned maybe there was a hazard. I thought my dad would’ve said something if there was. This will be a decorative piece but still will eventually require it. And the Main has 3 conductors.

 

[oldovernew]

I too suggest checking the wiring on old electrically powered anything. Insulation deteriorates with age and that charger is probably what… at least 60 years old.
If you use it, I would make sure it’s plugged into a GFCI protected receptacle. All of yours are…right?

My dad went through it and deemed it okay enough for a quick turn on. But will not be using it it’ll be for decoration and eventually will re wire it. And yes gfci lol