19 Set Control Unit Batteries

[David Dunlop]

It may turn out these batteries are still in production via a ‘closed’ MOD contract to provide them as needed, which begs the question as to what equipment would still be in service today, requiring such batteries?

David

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

It may turn out these batteries are still in production via a ‘closed’ MOD contract to provide them as needed, which begs the question as to what equipment would still be in service today, requiring such batteries?

David

They look hand-made, which means that the cost will be astronomical.

It will be for some very low-volume application, possibly for use in the very old field telephones (e.g Telephone Sets F & J) that may still be used on firing ranges.

I suspect there's just a 'D' cell inside and that they cost the MoD over £20 per unit, possibly over £50.

Chris.

[David Dunlop]

Well that was fast, but pretty much as expected.

These batteries are made only on an an ‘as ordered’ basis from the MOD. No orders, no batteries. A non-MOD order would be considered, but the batch run would have to be high in number to do so.

Pricing was skillfully avoided, but I did learn they provide individual batteries only. They are never done up in pairs with the small jumper cable. The end user would need to source those.

David

[Grant Bowker]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

They are never done up in pairs with the small jumper cable. The end user would need to source those.

My remote control unit came with a small bundle of jumpers tied by string to the wiring from RCU to batteries. In my naive state I didn't realize this wasn't standard. Sometimes better lucky than clever.

[David Dunlop]

Hi Grant.

Yes, I remember finding a small pallet piled with NOS RCU’s just inside the front doors of United Army Surplus here in Winnipeg, back in the 80’s. All three manufacturers were represented. The first one I opened was an RCA and it had the same three jumpers tied in place and a manual tucked inside with the other accessories and the carry strap. I pounced on it straight away at the staggering price of $5.00. Then I got curious and opened examples of the other two. Same thing. I humped my way home on the bus with four of them. Two over each shoulder.

Those were the days!

David

[Chris Suslowicz]

All the cells shown so far have been modern ones, with NATO stock numbers, etc., and not the WW2 style.

I'll try and dig some of my older ones out and see if the camera is working.

(Worst case is I could stick them on the flatbed scanner!)

Chris.
p.s. that small blue "Crompton Parkinson" battery with the white label is a DS-7 and I think was a Post Office type used in multimeters for the low resistance range. It's rather smaller than an 'X' cell.

[Grant Bowker]

Compared to the plain look of the postwar batteries is this Australian WWII version. https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/diamon...?language_id=3


It looks like the same type X cells were used for Aldis signal lamps - which doesn't make them a lot easier to find as I suspect they were mainly tossed when they went flat or when the equipment that needed them went out of service.

[Grant Bowker]

Another image of X cell batteries was found at https://www.sentimentaljourney.co.uk...cell-batteries
The site says they have 3 for sale (fourth one, dated 1944, being kept by owner for his collection).