How To: New Wire-5 project

[Bruce Parker]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

The connection underneath .Aerial lead C6 .

A sig would never call that a leads, aerial this or that. That thing is a pigtail connector and is the biggest single reason a 19 set will fail to operate correctly.

[Robert Bergeron]

Hi Bruce . I am no Sigs guy anyway . It’s just what the book says . Pigtail works for me . Could you elaborate on that please ? Why is it a source of failure ? Thanks .

[Bruce Parker]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

Hi Bruce . I am no Sigs guy anyway . It’s just what the book says . Pigtail works for me . Could you elaborate on that please ? Why is it a source of failure ? Thanks .

It resembles that curly little thing at the rear end of a pig (I never said signalers were couth; recall that the headphone attachments are called snatch plugs). The failure was either because the pigtail wasn't installed correctly (or forgotten so not installed at all, but that was usually after a night at the pub), or that it was so lightweight it frayed or broke.

[Bob Carriere]

Are you going to call yourself from the high Power radio and run over to the other truck to answer???? or pull out the beer and snacks and set up a party line..........

[Robert Bergeron]

Yes Bob, the word “party” comes to mind .We will call it a Jimmy party . …. I have corraled a number of injured former Sigs veterans and working these antique trucks / wireless sets will , i hope ,set them on the way to recovery . Small victories build self esteem and help transition to the civilian world . . Bruce , i found the proper terminolgy in the Emers . Connectors , Pigtail is the proper official Canadian designation .

[Chris Suslowicz]

I think you need "Aerial Feeder No.9" rather than "Leads, Aerial, C6" because the C6 is intended to connect the telescopic mast to the roof insulator when the mast is mounted on the vehicle roof. It's far too short to reach from the set to the underside of the aerial base. (They're very similar: a plated brass plug to mimic the base of the bottom 'F' aerial rod, and a length of insulated wire (British ones use P11 cable) to a ring terminal. The plug goes into the aerial base behind the variometer (I'm assuming this is the demountable station on Carrier No.3 or 23) and into the bottom of the aerial base.

The pigtail is intended to be an easily (and cheaply) replaceable link between the aerial connection plate and the aerial socket on the base, to allow for flexing of the rubber base and consequent metal fatigue of the connection - you can replace the pigtail rather than the aerial feeder (likewise if the base is damaged by impact with tree branches or gunfire).

You will need a rubber or cork gasket between the connection plate and the aerial roof mounting to keep rainwater out of the vehicle - the spacer (Aerial Base No.8 Mounting No.3) has been made from many things over the years: plywood with cork gaskets glued on, moulded rubber, and the post-WW2 pair of steel dishes seam-welded together (issued with a pair of rubber gaskets).

The sponge rubber sleeve is to protect the feeder from damage if it rubs against the metal parts of the vehicle. (I bought some circular cross-section rubber insulation and a set of cork-borers for making the central hole.)

Best regards,
Chris.

[Chris Suslowicz]

Further thoughts.

I wrote:

You will need a rubber or cork gasket between the connection plate and the aerial roof mounting to keep rainwater out of the vehicle - the spacer (Aerial Base No.8 Mounting No.3) has been made from many things over the years: plywood with cork gaskets glued on, moulded rubber, and the post-WW2 pair of steel dishes seam-welded together (issued with a pair of rubber gaskets).

I found my scan of the installation guide for the WS19 into 'House Type Body', and this is the section on the aerial feeder:

(22) Connect the terminal end of the Aerial Feeder Assembly No.9 to the terminal on the Aerial Feeder Connector plate. Drop the flexible lead through the hole in the Aerial Feeder Housing, located at the forward end of the vehicle roof in the centre. Place the aerial feeder connector plate over the aerial feeder housing and place the Mounting No.3 over this. Take the Aerial Base No.8 and screw in the connector pigtail No.1, then place this base over the above assembly, tilting slightly so that the free end of the pigtail may be connected to the terminal on the connector plate.

(23) Secure the above assembly to the Aerial Feeder Housing by means of six 1/4"-20 x 1.3/4" hexagon head bolts, nuts and lockwashers.

(Note from me: there must be a blanking plate and gasket supplied fitted to the Aerial Feeder Housing (otherwise the roof would leak), so that's where the extra gasket comes from (rubber, cork, or fibre of some sort). Bolting the assembly down will be a 2-man job because the roof is in the way - I don't know whether it's supposed to be bolt heads on top (probably) or nuts and lockwashers on top, but it's a fiddle either way.)

(24) Plug the flexible lead of the Aerial Feeder Assembly No.9 into the Antenna Rod "F" socket located on the Seating Plate No.4

I think I have all of those parts (Except for the vehicle!) in the collection, so let me know if you need a photograph or measurements and I'll see what I can do.

Best regards,
Chris.

[Robert Bergeron]

Progress report : Truck is running . Drives at 40 MPH all day long . I can now start it with the cranking handle . All new windows installed . Needs two CMP seat cushions for the operator’s seats ( 2) . Next : Install control panel for the generators .

[Robert Bergeron]

New windows all around . New copper wire bug screens made and installed on one side . It’s coming along quite well .

[Richard Seymour]

Great work.

[Robert Bergeron]

Thank you Richard from down under ! Found some parts today that should help me finish the job !

[Robert Bergeron]

Here are my newly found bus bars . I personnaly took them out of a power transformer being dismantled for scrap and recycling . The weight is 8 lbs of pure copper . ... They will be incorporated in the generator / battery set up in the radio box . They are resting on a church pew that i salvaged from a church being torn down . Recycling before it was in fashion .

[Robert Bergeron]

Bus bar for the box . in the Wire-5 electrical setup everything ground or neg is connected to one busbar that in turn is connected to the frame of the truck . Radio , batteries , generators .

[Robert Bergeron]

I have started doing the inside of the box .

[Robert Bergeron]

Another viw . We see the Buss bar installed lower .It’s going to go quickly from here .

[Robert Bergeron]

Coming along just nicely . One battery connected . 110 Volts outlet connected to the Onan power generator . Charging / starting cables to the Onan generator battery installed right up to the generator .

[Robert Bergeron]

Now for the generator and battery charging control panel box . I should be doing a first Onan generator start in the box for the first time sometime later this week .

[Robert Bergeron]

Good afternoon / evening / night / morning wherever you are . I finished the complete wiring to the generator control panel today . I now need to look at the wiring diagram to see what goes where behind the control panel .Lastly , i had found an original brass warning plate last summer in Alberta . «caution 110 V 60 Hertz AC only «* . Neet original part that sees use / neccesity only in the Onan equiped version of this 1944 box meant to carry the Canadian No 19HP set or the No 52 set.

[Robert Bergeron]

Today i did the wiring to the battery boxes and the control panel . 1/2 inch flexible conduits . Everything is painted and good to go on that end . Now i have to con’ect the correct wires to the correct poles behind the control panel ..

[Robert Bergeron]

Everything goes in the generator compartment . That’s going to be my next challenge : Connect every wire from the generators to the switches on the outside wall of the compartment .If you look to the right of the picture we see these switches . One for 110 V from the Onan and the other two for 12 V 300 watts from the Chorehorses .

[Bob Carriere]

....two is obsession........ better slow down......3 radio trucks is production......

Very nice work.

[Robert Bergeron]

Thank you Bob for the good words . Do you know where there is another one ?? Just kidding . Today i installed those pesky little shelves in the box with the tin’erman hooks for straps. The shelves are so flimsy only very light objects can be stored on them . More pictures to follow tomorrow .

[Robert Bergeron]

The pesky shelves .I also installed the cypher clerk table i had cut out of a piece of plywood . Coming along .

[Robert Bergeron]

Hi , today i started for the first time the Onan generator in the box . It is wired to the outlet in the front wall and to the starting batteries under the radio table . Video available on the Facebook page of MLU . It’s nice to have 110 V to power lamps , heaters and radios . This version of the box , 1/5 was for the No 19 HP . Post war it was fitted with a No 52 set according to period pictures already posted .So yes it’s a second Wire -5 truck but this one is different : Instead of the two 12 Volt / 300 watts Chorehorse generators it’s got the rare (1942) Onan generator and .. i may install my complete No 19 HP set in it . Right now it has a working / tested and proven reliable No 19 set on the table . Stay tuned for that one . On the Onan : The upper gauge if for AC and it indicates 120 V and the lower is DC and it indicates the amperage of the 12 V charger side of the generator .

[Robert Bergeron]

Found an original whip antenna tube last summer during my air cruise in the Canadian West . Installed today as the pioneer tool rack on the front of the box .

[Robert Bergeron]

Today i installed some NOS original Canadian canvas straps to hold the shovel and pick axe . Used the original scews i had to fight with but managed to break loose . Nice addition to the truck especially the shovel : Original WW2 Bulldog .

[Robert Bergeron]

Upper picture : P-37 Canadian strap . Lower strap : Original Canadian vehicle equipment / utility straps as found on these trucks . Found a nice lot of them last summer somewhere in Canada .

[Robert Bergeron]

Have begun connecting the cables behind the generator / battery control panel.

[Robert Bergeron]

Rifle clips installed for the two operators in the box .

[Robert Bergeron]

A door installed on the generator compartment . White inside the box and green inside the compartment . Sound test with the generator in use will be more realistic with a closed airtight door.