Just because it’s so stable and reliable in this day and age, the AC voltage on the power outlets in our electronics workspaces is often taken for granted. It’s not until you get a jolt, a fuse blows, or equipment starts to behave capriciously, that we surmise trouble at the 230 VAC side. That’s totally different when working with vintage electronic equipment, especially precious gear if it’s powered up for the first time… then “the mains” is of foremost and even deadly concern. In this article we show some options to avoid killing our darlings before they even wake up from years of slumber and neglect. And protect ourselves.