Upgraded my power cable: A review

[Sandip Das]

Couple of months ago, I realised the amount of carbon that gets accumulated on the wall outlet switches, the wall sockets, the MCB switches and amplifier IEC sockets. I had a huge - around 30% to 40% improvement by not changing any thing but just addressing this issue. How you may ask. Do only the following if your setup is more than a year old
- remove and insert IEC socket ( if applicable) from your amp input 5 to 10 times to remove carbon
- repeat the same at wall outlet.
- remove the amplifier socket from wall. Turn your wall outlet switch on-off for 10 to 20 times to decarbon.
- repeat same with amplifier power switches if they are analogue types.
- switch of Main power of your home. Turn MCB on-off for 15 - 20 times and after that Turn them on.

If you are of the courage type, you can dip some isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab and decarbon all sockets manually too.


After doing all the above settle down and listen to your setup and report back. You may get vast improvement without changing anything but spending around 30 minutes of your time.

The above tip was passed on to me by my mentor @drlowmu couple of months ago and I religiously follow them once in 4 months.

Thanks for looking.

nice observation.. once in 3 months i just unplug all my equiment (rca, speaker cable, power cable all) in leave it down to at least 24 hrs and then plug it.

 

[Shinto]

Couple of months ago, I realised the amount of carbon that gets accumulated on the wall outlet switches, the wall sockets, the MCB switches and amplifier IEC sockets. I had a huge - around 30% to 40% improvement by not changing any thing but just addressing this issue. How you may ask. Do only the following if your setup is more than a year old
- remove and insert IEC socket ( if applicable) from your amp input 5 to 10 times to remove carbon
- repeat the same at wall outlet.
- remove the amplifier socket from wall. Turn your wall outlet switch on-off for 10 to 20 times to decarbon.
- repeat same with amplifier power switches if they are analogue types.
- switch of Main power of your home. Turn MCB on-off for 15 - 20 times and after that Turn them on.

If you are of the courage type, you can dip some isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab and decarbon all sockets manually too.


After doing all the above settle down and listen to your setup and report back. You may get vast improvement without changing anything but spending around 30 minutes of your time.

The above tip was passed on to me by my mentor @drlowmu couple of months ago and I religiously follow them once in 4 months.

Thanks for looking.

"If you are of the courage type, you can dip some isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab and decarbon all sockets manually too."

With all due respect sir, that is not a good advice.It is not courage, it will be foolishness to do something like this.

 

[Hari Iyer]

"If you are of the courage type, you can dip some isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab and decarbon all sockets manually too."

With all due respect sir, that is not a good advice.It is not courage, it will be foolishness to do something like this.

I am asking after disconnecting mains MCB and not using the socket for a day for the liquid to evaporate.

 

[Shinto]

I am asking after disconnecting mains MCB and not using the socket for a day for the liquid to evaporate.

It is only safe if the Main switch is turned OFF I think.

Turning OFF the circuit MCB and working with power point/socket is not a good idea.

If the neutral of the respective power point/socket circuit is looped to another circuit's neutral(this not legal , but electricians do this to cut costs) and if there is a break in the neutral circuit( this could be even a wrongly wired switch anywhere else in the house), you will get the full phase voltage on the neutral of the power point/socket you are working on.

Experts in this matter please comment if I miss something here.

 

[Hari Iyer]

It is only safe if the Main switch is turned OFF I think.

Turning OFF the circuit MCB and working with power point/socket is not a good idea.

If the neutral of the respective power point/socket circuit is looped to another circuit's neutral(this not legal , but electricians do this to cut costs) and if there is a break in the neutral circuit( this could be even a wrongly wired switch anywhere else in the house), you will get the full phase voltage on the neutral of the power point/socket you are working on.

Experts in this matter please comment if I miss something here.

In my home the main MCB or the RCCB is connected to both line amd neutral. I have confirmed that. Atleast I don't see any issues at my home. YMMV.

 

[Shinto]

In my home the main MCB or the RCCB is connected to both line amd neutral. I have confirmed that. Atleast I don't see any issues at my home. YMMV.

No issues if the main switch is turned OFF.I was talking about the risk if only the concerned circuit is turned OFF.