Legal or not!.

[catch29]

Selling electrical equipment, where do we stand?.
I sell a lot of electrical stuff on Ebay, some working, some not. Where do I stand legally on selling potentially dangerous equipment knowingly or not!. Case in point =
I have sold a pair of Heathkit MA-12's power amps and a USC-1 pre-amp with a home made octal harness to a customer in South Korea. So, the MA-12's are powered from the mains, the customer will have to sort out plugs and voltages, so far so good. However for reasons only known to Heathkit the MA-12's power the pre-amp from a octal socket and the feed to the pre-amp is also a socket!, therefore the harness is a octal plug on both ends. Now I know to plug in the pre-amp first, but the customer?, I have 'banged on' again and again to the customer about this and told him to get a trained audio technician (I have the emails) to maybe modify it especially if he sells it on. But I am uneasy. Taking it wider, what if I sell a car and the brakes are a bit 'iffy'?.
HELP, not happy!.

[boater sam]

If this is a business you need to be very careful.

[Refugee]

I have seen products that are much more dangerous being imported into the UK.
Treat it as sold as seen and be done with it.

[joebog1]

At the same time, I would be very careful. "Telling somebody it might be, or is,  dangerous " is an admission YOU knew it was below current standards.
Selling a car with "iffy " brakes?? THAT is plain nasty!!!, I am a pacifist but I would bash you for that one. 

With respect to your current question, I would have found a chassis plug ( male ) and remade the umbilical cable myself.
That way you have taken "all reasonable steps " to render the equipment safe. 
Remember though, this is under English law ( because you sold it ) and depending on how many plums the solicitor, has in his mouth at any one time,
can be interpreted in any number of ways. ( we essententially have equivelent laws in Au. )

THAT said, you have advised the buyer that this is "antique equipment and must be brought up to standard " is a fair warning of danger.
I wouldnt like to test that in law, but at least you did try.

I would rest easy for the time being, and hope that the dropper resistor in the power amp is large enough to only service a good boot, rather than a lethal dose.
One cannot beat learning by experience.

Joe

[The Philpott]

You have explicitly pointed out to the customer that there are safety issues with the equipment, so you have discharged your responsibility. Don't lose sleep. Should the buyer not have a very good grasp of English, again, not your problem.

As someone else has pointed out, think of the amount of dangerous gear coming out of China these days, much of it through 'legitimate' platforms. Some of that seems DELIBERATELY dangerous.

Dave

[Kalee20]

I'd emphasize that the item was to Heathkit original spec, pre-dating modern safety standards.

As for the car analogy, you could sell a really good Austin 7 of which the brakes by modern standards might be considered 'iffy.' In that case it's for the buyer to understand what he or she is buying - because that's how Austin 7's are.

Or you could sell a modern car, of which the brakes are known defective, drawing attention to the fact - and make it undriveable by removing spark plugs or battery. (Me, I'd probably get a brick, paint "Brake - throw out of window to apply " on it, and attach it with a lanyard to something substantial).

As long as you have not misrepresented the item, and have drawn attention to any defects below original condition, you should be able to sleep easy.

[catch29]

Thanks everybody for your input, I shall disclose in future sales the vulnerability of 'vintage' product and sleep easy

[Doodlebug]

For display purposes only.