Would you buy flood-submerged equipment?

[irb]

If you are willing to handle the selling for her, and aren't looking to make anything out of it, why do you need to buy it from her before selling it? Surely that just risks spoiling your friendship. Couldn't you just agree to sell it (on eBay for example, with full disclosure, letting the market decide the price) and give her the proceeds?

 

[Tony L]

I'd agree with this. Personally I wouldn't consider equipment fully submerged by floodwater. I would concur with few comments that the value would be minimal, or scrap.

It is impossible to comment without seeing it. I’ve enough experience with vintage computers, synths etc to know exactly what corroded boards, vias, chips etc look like and that’s the sort of thing that would define if it is likely to be long-term reliable. If the kit was just left to slowly dry out without proper cleaning and drying I’d certainly expect there to be obvious problems in this regard.

 

[Alvarado]

My house is the furthest one away in the distance - Dec 30th 2015

that looks familiar. Mytholmroyd, by any chance? Someone I knew had a house on (what I think) is that road which was totally wrecked. 10 eons worth of traffic jams and flood alleviation work later and you might be better set up now!

To the OP because my community is a high risk flooding area I've quite often been helping out when people have been flood hit. I would not touch that kit with a barge pole. End of. And trying to sell it without mentioning it's been under 3 feet of water I would consider to be fraud. I am surprised it works at all - is she sure it was submerged?!

I've been involved in situations where publicans have literally poured cases of champagne down the sink because the (unopened) bottles have been submerged by floodwater, where a used clothes shop destroyed all its flood damaged stock and where a school threw out loads of kids' wooden lockers and cupboards because they could not be sure it could be cleaned sufficiently to be used again. It did strike me as wasteful but this stuff is disposed of under instruction from the owning company and/or insurance companies and in the end unless you (a) can clean it up and re-use it yourself (b) can find someone who wants to give you a donation for it or (c) will agree to take the goods away for free, there's really nothing else you can do with it. (Apart from dishonestly selling it to an unknowing third party, of course!)

 

[cctaylor]

I wonder if the original owner had insurance. If the property is in a flood prone area getting insurance can be problematic.

 

[cctaylor]

My house is the furthest one away in the distance - Dec 30th 2015. Historical flooding records going back to 1829, had no idea when purchased in 2010 there was the slightest risk, my bad. Now have flood doors/seals in place, cost a few quid but some peace of mind.

When our garden flooded back in 1997, water came into the house through the solum. Water doesn't always come in where you expect. In our case door and airbrick covers would not have been enough.

The flood water dispersed in 24 hours. I checked next day and the solum was dry. This was a bit of a surprise as it is 1980s build with a nominally sealed solum. The water came and left so quickly.


The water level ended up around 30cm below the floor joists. In our case the water was spread out over several hundred acres it would have taken a lot more water to put the house a t serious risk. We were still able to get out by 4wd.

We moved 3 years ago, before this house flooded, Noah would be sailing past.

 

[Amber Audio]

I wonder if the original owner had insurance. If the property is in a flood prone area getting insurance can be problematic.

Flood Re covers you, every insurer has to have signed up
https://www.floodre.co.uk/

 

[Amber Audio]

that looks familiar. Mytholmroyd, by any chance?)

Am up in Haggis country not Yorkshire pud land Ballater in Aberdeenshire.

 

[spxy]

honestly its worthless, even it "works" now it probably compromised in performance and will eventually fail due to minerals and impurities in the water.

 

[Jono_13]

Spare parts for emergency use only now, I'm too risk adverse for anything else.

 

[Fretbuzz]

I'd be very wary for potential for hidden or down the line issues, even if it's working now.

 

[kensalriser]

Regarding ‘profiteering’ I’d personally not be prepared to sell such a lot unless I had stripped down, assessed, thoroughly cleaned, relubed, contact-cleaned and tested absolutely everything. No way in hell would I do that kind of work (which to do as well as I do it would take hours per component) without taking a *very* substantial cut!

And most likely that work would not be economically viable unless you value your time at zero.

 

[linnfomaniac83]

It might all power up but it WILL have problems and will definitely need completely stripping, cleaning and likely need parts replaced. Anything made off MDF/chipboard will never be right because it’ll have soaked it up.

mechanical bits will never be right if they’ve been in flood water, I wouldn’t buy a tonearm that had been in flood water unless it really was cheap enough to throw away if it’s no good… you could send it to Audio Origami for a check over/refurb, but that not an inconsiderable expense… I’d just buy a properly clean example instead. Bearings, motors, switches are an unknown for long term reliability and because they turn, doesn’t mean they’re working right.

Switches/pots could be intermittent and could deteriorate too.

PCBs, actually there’s probably more hope for these than anything else, water, and particularly contaminated water can cause corrosion but the majority of corrosion seen on PCBs that have been wet is from where power has remained connected and you literally plate metal from components and traces positive rails to ground (or from ground to negative rails). If it was never powered at the time it was wet, I’d give a thorough clean with distilled water and isopropyl, preferably in an ultrasonic cleaner, but if not just a good bath and brush… then flush with more concentrated isopropyl and place in a location with some gentle airflow and heat. With this done you can check joints and reflow where necessary.

Does any of this sound like it’s something you’re up for? Do you think kit requiring this level of attention and still having the history behind it is worth even a fraction of the price of a clean non flood damaged example in its current state?

I picked 5%, because it does have a salvage value, but it’s not known what that value is exactly without delving in, and the time needed to delve in also has a value.

If it were me, I’d bow out, let your friend sort it herself and strongly encourage her to give full disclosure when advertising it herself.

 

[Beobloke]

Hang on - I've just noticed the turntable is a Technics SL-1210. They're the Toyota Hi-Lux of hi-fi and will survive pretty much anything short of direct missile strike!

 

[sq225917]

I wouldn't touch it. It won't have been clean water, even if working now it's all a time bomb and as the seller even with full disclosure you're liable unless sold for parts.

Insurance claim.. be done with it.

Though I assume she already has

 

[linnfomaniac83]

A side note here, a friend just turned up at my door earlier in the year with some 1970s Sony electronics and a pioneer turntable that had lived its first few years in a heavy smokers home, and the last 30 years or so in a garage (it belonged to his brother in law who died over 30 years ago)… I spent hours on cleaning, repairing it and fettling it and a fair amount of money on parts, including a brand new cartridge… He then tried to get me to buy it from him, and he’d massively over valued it, going off those bogus Japanese listings on eBay that list kit at 10x it’s actual value (whilst massively undervaluing my services)… I told him what It was really worth, showed him completed listings, costs of listing, then the time and money already invested… he accused me of trying to take the piss out of him… I removed a shitty dust bug cleaning arm from the plinth of the deck in order to properly clean it up to like new condition, and he phoned me up having a pop about that when he realised too. Some people just think that all the burden should be on someone else.

PS, I’m still out of pocket for my time and for ALL of the parts, cartridge included.

 

[canonman]

Am up in Haggis country not Yorkshire pud land Ballater in Aberdeenshire.

I recognised it!

 

[linnfomaniac83]

Hang on - I've just noticed the turntable is a Technics SL-1210. They're the Toyota Hi-Lux of hi-fi and will survive pretty much anything short of direct missile strike!

What would you pay for one that had been fully submerged in flood water (read silt, sewage, oil etc)

 

[Tony L]

What would you pay for one that had been fully submerged in flood water (read silt, sewage, oil etc)

In fairness that’s arguably no worse than the vodka, Red Bull and cocaine glaze of a typical ex-DJ example.

 

[Mr Pig]

I think your friend is being very unreasonable. If the kit has been submerged in flood water it is effectively written off and has no value. It should be claimed on her insurance and if she has no insurance that's her problem, not yours.

Her position makes no sense. If the kit is ruined, how can she expect you to give her good money for it? If the kit is working fine, why isn't she keeping it??

Very dumb thread if you ask me.

 

[linnfomaniac83]

In fairness that’s arguably no worse than the vodka, Red Bull and cocaine glaze of a typical ex-DJ example.

Haha, I’d not pay top dollar for one of those either, but those ones are likely clean inside.