Wireless Set No. 52 Canadian - Project

[David Dunlop]

Last evening, I did a quick test on the glue residue left on the lower right side of the front panel and it look like it will remove OK with a little careful work and soaking with a glue solvent I have on hand.

I also started some online research on anything I could find about these switchboards, and in particular anything about the MK I Model. Surprisingly, I got a hit from the MLU Forum regarding the Week 37 Wireless of the Week Series Bruce Parker had put together several years ago. Week 37 covered the Switchboard Charging 5C Canadian and in it was a post from Jordan Baker who had run across a photo of a 5C MK I, Serial Number C183, also a 1944 product of Rogers Majestic. The comments back then suggest this variation was intended for the 19-Set HP and the 52-Set as both were rather power hungry wireless sets, and it was noted a new inboard pair of terminal posts were added on the upper portion of each side. The left set are marked, BATT, NO 1, CHARGE. The pair on the right BATT, NO 2, CHARGE. Upon a closer inspection of my switchboard, I now noticed where these additions were located, but the upper terminal post on each side is missing. Clearly the next step will have to be removing the plywood rear cover to see what has been going on with the wiring. I am hoping the terminals were simply removed, but not the related wiring.

In the meantime, I remember a Forum Member a few years back was parting out a Switchboard Charging 5C. If anyone has one being parted out, please get in touch with me. I suspect even a British one will have identical terminal post assemblies.

Be nice to confirm exactly why these two new sets of terminal posts were added and how they function. I have seen wiring diagrams for the original version of these switchboards, so there must also be ones issued for the 5C MK I.


David

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Last evening, I did a quick test on the glue residue left on the lower right side of the front panel and it look like it will remove OK with a little careful work and soaking with a glue solvent I have on hand.

I also started some online research on anything I could find about these switchboards, and in particular anything about the MK I Model. Surprisingly, I got a hit from the MLU Forum regarding the Week 37 Wireless of the Week Series Bruce Parker had put together several years ago. Week 37 covered the Switchboard Charging 5C Canadian and in it was a post from Jordan Baker who had run across a photo of a 5C MK I, Serial Number C183, also a 1944 product of Rogers Majestic. The comments back then suggest this variation was intended for the 19-Set HP and the 52-Set as both were rather power hungry wireless sets, and it was noted a new inboard pair of terminal posts were added on the upper portion of each side. The left set are marked, BATT, NO 1, CHARGE. The pair on the right BATT, NO 2, CHARGE. Upon a closer inspection of my switchboard, I now noticed where these additions were located, but the upper terminal post on each side is missing.

I suspect they were never installed. There are differences between your switchboard and the ones I've seen and yours appears to be for field use with two charging sets, rather than permanently installed in a wireless vehicle.

Clearly the next step will have to be removing the plywood rear cover to see what has been going on with the wiring. I am hoping the terminals were simply removed, but not the related wiring.

It looks as though the positive terminals for the charging (independent of the switch settings) were deleted, and the board re-marked for two charging sets rather than a single charging set when static and "Vehicle Dynamo" on the move.

None of the switchboards I have seen have a rear plywood cover - an indication that they were fitted to a vehicle with non-conducting walls perhaps, whereas this one was for use on the ground and stray bits of metal might short it out if it was unprotected?

In the meantime, I remember a Forum Member a few years back was parting out a Switchboard Charging 5C. If anyone has one being parted out, please get in touch with me. I suspect even a British one will have identical terminal post assemblies.

Almost certainly the same.

Be nice to confirm exactly why these two new sets of terminal posts were added and how they function.

My guess is they are simply wired in parallel with the battery terminals, and the positive terminals were removed (For safety?) when the design was adapted for use out of the vehicle.

I have seen wiring diagrams for the original version of these switchboards, so there must also be ones issued for the 5C MK I.

Optimist!

Best regards,
Chris.

p.s. Now I know what those bits of mounting hardware are for (and need to get some) - they probably fitted to the underside of the radio table (or to the vehicle wall) so that the "spare" switchboard could be stored out of the way when not required. (The vehicle one would be permanently wired in.)

[David Dunlop]

And the plating of hardware and reassembly begins.

Just the two easy parts back on so far but already I have discovered the need to carefully ream out excess paint from all the hardware holes before reinstallation of parts, especially the smaller items. This hardware is all brass and the smaller it is, the more likely I will damage the hardware trying to force it though holes clogged with excess paint. Drill bits work very well at this.

Also was able to get a short time exposure shot of the two new decals on the front panel glowing in the dark.


David

[David Dunlop]

I was able to get a few more pieces for the front panel zinc plated today. Hoping to get at least one put back tomorrow.


David

[David Dunlop]

Managed to get the Tuning Counter Assembly reinstalled on the front panel this morning and keep it held at the "0000" mark in the process.

Now the really frustrating part awaits my attention, getting the front panel mounted back on the chassis assembly working with stubby hardware and fingers in VERY tight quarters. I hope I have enough wine to celebrate any successes.



David

[David Dunlop]

This next reassembly step is one I did not fully understand, or appreciate , when I was disassembling this component last winter. It simply involves installing the two small screws in the first photo through their holes in the lower front panel, into the two heavy duty brackets shown in the 2nd photo. When this is done, the front panel is then held securely in place on the Coil Chassis assembly with the main mounting hardware holes (two vertical rows of three sets of hardware) are perfectly lined up Again, see the 2nd photo to see what I am referring to.

The space behind the two end angle brackets into which all this hardware fits, is extremely limited and full of other hardware. You need both hands completely free to work with each hardware set of screw, Shakeproof Washer and hex nut. See the 3rd and 4th photos in this Post. I am impressed the Designers thought of this.

The last photo shows these two screw back in place and I am now psyching myself up for the big challenge ahead of installing these siz sets of hardware.


David

[David Dunlop]

The two lowermost and challenging sets of hardware to mount the front panel assembly to the Coil Chassis have now been reinstalled. The round head, slotted, machine screws in these two hardware sets are shorter than the remaining, upper four sets. With the Shakeproof washer in place, the screws will only run home about two thirds of the way into their hex head nuts.

Gravity helps get these two hardware sets installed, so I started by resting the chassis assembly on its front panel on a small 4x4 block of wood, padded with an old cloth. It is important doing this and keeping the centre of gravity of the coil assembly squarely over the wood block to avoid it tipping while you are working on it. I oriented the chassis with the bottom facing me and used a pair of small work lamps to fully illuminate the areas I needed to work in.

The first photo shows the small triangular cutouts provided to access these two mounting holes in the brass angle brackets. The Shakeproof washer is already resting around the screw hole. I dropped them in place with a small pair of needle nose pliers.

Before I started all this, I put a small drop of clear nail polish on the end of a wooden candy stick to secure the brass hex nut. The screw was then mounted on an appropriately sized slotted screw driver head and placed up through the hole and through the washer. While holding the screw in place with one hand, I used the other hand to carefully place the hex nut on the tip of the screw and turned the driver head to engage the threads. The hex nut pops free of the wooden stick as soon as the turning resistance is great enough. You can then press down on the open face of the hex nut with the flat tip of the wooden stick until the screw is flush with the front panel. I then placed a drop of red nail polish into the hole of the hex nut to lock it in place. I had found traces of red lacquer in these two hex nuts when I removed them last Spring.

So the two tricky sets of panel mounting hardware on the Coil Assembly have now been reinstalled. Four more sets to go.


David