11 Set stuff

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by cletrac

The fourth pic is one I got off ebay that I'm going to convert to one of those ground station cables. .

At least you have an original plug to copy but does it fit the British/Canadian battery connectors OK ? BTW are the Canadian batteries , used in the 1A2 bodies , the same pattern/dimensions as the British batteries ?

[cletrac (RIP)]

Mike, the Canadians likely used the British plugs. They didn't really get into radio stuff until 1941 or 1942.
I took some screenshots from that Erecting the 11 Set video showing the dry cell battery setup. That connector plug no 6 is from the Brit manual.
The soldier on the left has the H T unit and on the right has the L T unit.
It looks like the connector has a switch built in. Both battery units use Niphan plugs as well. That makes 8 male Niphan plugs and 6 female ones on one complete vehicle setup.

[cletrac (RIP)]

Here's the only other 11 set pictures I have that show those dry cell batteries. They must have quit using them fairly early in the war.
The H T accumulator looks to be about 14" square and about 3 to 4 inches thick.
Chris, could you post a picture of that partial case you mentioned in an earlier post?

[cletrac (RIP)]

I got these cables and ends off ebay. The 6 Niphan connectors are all the same size so I guess they're the right ones. I have a couple more coming from the same UK seller. I got them for a reasonable price but now somebody else thinks they're valuable and is bidding over $100 for a cable with two Niphans on it. If anybody needs some I'll send you his email address. He said he has around 75 Niphan connectors but no females to match the ones I bought.

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by cletrac

I got these cables and ends off ebay. The 6 Niphan connectors are all the same size so I guess they're the right ones. I have a couple more coming from the same UK seller. I got them for a reasonable price but now somebody else thinks they're valuable and is bidding over $100 for a cable with two Niphans on it. If anybody needs some I'll send you his email address. He said he has around 75 Niphan connectors but no females to match the ones I bought.

Those are a nice find

[Chris Suslowicz]

Originally Posted by cletrac

I got these cables and ends off ebay. The 6 Niphan connectors are all the same size so I guess they're the right ones. I have a couple more coming from the same UK seller. I got them for a reasonable price but now somebody else thinks they're valuable and is bidding over $100 for a cable with two Niphans on it. If anybody needs some I'll send you his email address. He said he has around 75 Niphan connectors but no females to match the ones I bought.

Most of the 2-pin Niphan connectors will be for batteries (there were other uses such as aerial feeders for the WS12 with different pin arrangements, but they are very rare, also some from the next size up used for AC power, I think).

The Niphan to ring terminal cables are general purpose, I think the very long one has a 'line' stores code and was used with the F&F switchboard. Niphan to 2-pin bakelite socket was for WS22, R109, PCR receivers, etc., and the twin plugs to Pye 6-pin socket is (of course) for the WS19.

Niphan sockets are going to be difficult to obtain: they were used on batteries and when the battery was scrapped the socket had to be removed in order to get the cells out, and if not reused would be melted down for the brass content. You need to look for old batteries with 2-pin sockets - they will all use the same connector. (6V 16, 40 or 85 Ah, 12V 22 and 75 Ah units.)

Chris.

[cletrac (RIP)]

I took one of the Niphan plugs apart to see how they're made. The female one is a bigger size but the construction will be the same. The female one would be reasonably easy to make on a lathe but the male part is a bit more complex. If I had a lathe I'd give it a go, but no lathe. The insulating part could be nylon or the like. I could scavenge the brass wire holders out of the larger plugs that I have.

[Mike K]

The male half , somebody skilled with a oxy torch could braze on the 90 degree bit , the ring would be slid on before the brazing .

I am pretty sure the pair of niphans I salvaged for the speaker system are made from brass . Yes would be a interesting project for a lathe . The most difficult part to make would be the internal threads on the lock rings , being so short and a coarse thread .