Over the years I saw many horrendous dangerous joins made to mains leads.
If I customer brought a set in for repair we would always check the plug correct any faults, very often the lead was wired over the top of the flex grip and over half had a 13A fuse fitted. we always did this free of charge. If we found a dangerous mains lead we would ask permission to replace it and only charge for the replacement wire no charge for fitting.
Customers always agreed to this without problem. With the exception of one...
The set was a Thorn 8000 or 8500 . The mains lead had a join in it just as it exited the set, This was a piece of "chock block" and had bare wires poking out of it. then further down the lead there was two joins bound in black tape with two bits of cut off flex sticking out of them and then finally a foot from the plug a join made with $cotchlocks! (Or Something like that, it was a while ago!)
When we rang to speak to the owner his wife answered the phone and said her husband wouldn't be happy if we changed the lead so we best leave it. we explained that we couldn't repair the set and leave it like that as we would probably be liable if something happened.
She then gave permission to change the lead. we duly did this and put the old lead less plug in a plastic bag with the set.
When the chap came to collect the set we placed it on the shop floor while he paid the bill. He paid and then saw the bag on top of the set. "what's that?"
We explained about the lead and why we had to change it. We explained that we had been given permission by his wife.
The bloke instantly went into a rage saying we had no right , he didn't want the new lead, he connected his lamp to that! Pointing to the old lead..
We tried explaining but it was no good he wasn't listening. he shouted I don't want that ! And then he wrenched the new lead out of the set which tipped it over onto its front, bringing the flex grip and half of the on - off switch with it!
He threw the new lead on the floor picked up his set and stormed out!
By this time everyone had come out of the workshop and was standing behind the counter. As he banged the shop door shut one of the engineers said "Funny chap" turned around and went to put the kettle on..
Somewhere I still have the video tape from the security camera . Whenever something worth keeping was recorded I kept the tape. I do have a few...
