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  #21  
Old 19th May 2021, 05:06 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default Faulty Transformer

I will not be messing around with the existing plug, that is literally 'toast'. As well as I have now discovered the cabling has probably been getting hot over a period of time and has become brittle and will have to be replaced.

As the voltage involved is the output side is only 12v I cannot see any problem with soldering in new wires and feeding them through the existing hole with a new grommet to a simple miniature two pin male and female plug.

Later......

I have now opened up the transformer and it is clean inside and there is plenty of original cable inside to splice into a new mini plug. I just have to find s suitable plug.
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  #22  
Old 20th May 2021, 09:52 PM
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I quite like Aviation sockets for this kind of use. They are solid, have strain-relief and the keyed plug and socket screw together so no pulling out unexpectedly. Available from 2-way up to about 8-way. Quite large tho.
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  #23  
Old 21st May 2021, 10:09 AM
John King John King is offline
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Default Connectors

Aviation sockets seem like an overkill for a 2 pin 12v plug and possibly physically too large to fit the outer casing. I have ordered a simpler one made from heat resistant hard plastic that has a twist lock between the two parts. This will need me to alter the shape of the hole a touch from an oblong to a circular one, but quite easily done.

However I will have to make sure that any metal filings from the work stay outside the chassis of the transformer and don't fall inside where the transformer coil is placed. I cannot remove the coil as it is riveted onto the chassis
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  #24  
Old 21st May 2021, 10:15 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John King View Post
Aviation sockets seem like an overkill for a 2 pin 12v plug and possibly physically too large to fit the outer casing. I have ordered a simpler one made from heat resistant hard plastic that has a twist lock between the two parts. This will need me to alter the shape of the hole a touch from an oblong to a circular one, but quite easily done.

However I will have to make sure that any metal filings from the work stay outside the chassis of the transformer and don't fall inside where the transformer coil is placed. I cannot remove the coil as it is riveted onto the chassis
Sounds like an interesting option - do you have a link? (not wishing to hijack the thread with irrelevant electronics chit-chat!) - the only other option I could think of was the usual dc power sockets but they pull out easily.
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  #25  
Old 21st May 2021, 12:24 PM
John King John King is offline
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Yes I used a vehicle electrical supplier called appropriately Vehicle Wiring Products. They are based in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. I have used them many times before for little bits and bobs.

The bits I ordered are called Modular Interlocking Connectors. You can put two together or twenty two or more. 50p each = cheaper than chips.

They also have the elusive 1amp, 30mm x 6mm fuses that I was asking about before to fit the transformer.

I don't have their website address but you should be able to get to it with the company name. Telephone is 0115 930 5454. They will send you an up to date actual PAPER catalogue if you ask them. What they have for vehicles is quite amazing.

(Actually as I typed this the package has just arrived - less than 24 hours - not bad..)

Last edited by John King; 21st May 2021 at 12:29 PM.
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  #26  
Old 21st May 2021, 04:06 PM
John King John King is offline
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All done and the voltage at the bulb is back up to a shade over 12V. The worst/most difficult part was to get the cables soldered into those connectors. What a faf!

The cable from the enlarger was rubber sheathed and luckily there has always been ample because when I started to cut it back I found the copper strands had suffered the 'black death' where it had tarnished so badly that even scraping the surface would not allow the solder to attach. That as well would not have helped the current flow.
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  #27  
Old 21st May 2021, 05:06 PM
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Fingers crossed nothing else is hiding, ready to bite now all appears to be working - intermittent issues are really frustrating!

True to their No Messing name, they are at: www.vehiclewiringproducts.co.uk
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