19 Set Control Unit Batteries

[rob love]

I picked up a pair of those remote control units form the local surplus store back around 1979. I was in the militia then, and the old signals Sergent went into the back room and brought out some reasonably fresh batteries for the units. I'm not sure what else they were used in back then, but they were still in use with some piece of equipment or another.

Come to think about it, I have a portable desklamp hiding somewhere which also uses those same batteries if I recall correctly. I saw those go surplus in the 1980s, so likely the batteries were still around for use in those.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by rob love

I picked up a pair of those remote control units form the local surplus store back around 1979. I was in the militia then, and the old signals Sergent went into the back room and brought out some reasonably fresh batteries for the units. I'm not sure what else they were used in back then, but they were still in use with some piece of equipment or another.

Come to think about it, I have a portable desklamp hiding somewhere which also uses those same batteries if I recall correctly. I saw those go surplus in the 1980s, so likely the batteries were still around for use in those.

They go back at least to the first world war, when they were used in Telephone Set 'D' Mark II (and later models), Fullerphones, the Daylight Signalling Lamp, and other things that needed a small battery supply.

Switchboard U.C. (6-line or 10-line) uses three of them, the 10-line Magneto Switchboard (W.D.) used a pair for the "night alarm" (plus another pair in the operator's Telephone Set 'J').

It's possible that they're not completely obsolete yet, though adapters were made to fit a pair of 'D' cells in Telephone Sets J & L by the manufacturer, and modern field telephones tend to use C or D cells.

Chris.

[David Dunlop]

To follow through with Rob’s comments a bit, I have a pair of these dated 04/77 and 02/78 made by Union Carbide in Toronto. Plain beige cardboard with black printing, identified as “CF BATTERY BA-300/U”. I have never seen any dated beyond the 1980’s.

Wartime production batteries I used to have were made by WILLARD BATTERY. Identical in construction but in olive green waxed cardboard with black trim and printing. A very ornate design compared to the bare bones look of the postwar product.

The brass terminal assemblies are still available and beige Manila cardboard is very close to the look of the postwar product. It would not be difficult to dummy working D Cell driven replicas.

David

[James D Teel II]

All,

Thanks for your help. It should be a fairly easy thing to fabricate batteries since the dimensions are known. I found this fellow during a web search. He seems to be knowledgeable on batteries. I’ve emailed him and hope to hear from him soon.
https://www.radiolaguy.com/Batteries..._Batteries.htm

[Chris Suslowicz]

Defence Standards specification for the postwar version (includes engineering drawings, etc.).

Chris.

[James D Teel II]

That’s a great resource. Thank you, Chris.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Members of a nervous disposition may wish to sit down now, and have the brandy and oxygen mask (or smelling salts handy).

It appears that the humble 'X' cell lives on (or, at least is not quite extinct).

(FX: Drum Roll)