Rewiring old lanterns

[paulcobb]

I have a number of Patt 743 and 263 lanterns that require rewiring.

Could I have some recomendations on the correct type of cable and sleeving needed to carry this out and pifalls please?

[Brian]

Cable type - see this current topic.

 

Sleeving - fibreglass

 

You might want to think about putting in decent cable glands - see this recent topic.

[p.k.roberts]

I refurbed some 743s recently and noted that the cable earth connection was to the lamp slider only. The earth connection to the lantern body was via the guide-bar and focus lead-screw. Given the age of the lanterns these were rather tarnished resulting in a rather intermittent earth connection to the lantern body. I added an earth strap from the lamp slider to the body to rectify this.

[paulcobb]

So to be specific:

 

I'm assuming the the 'old' combination which I have stripped out is the same spec as the preferred 'new' solution?

Therefore is it still Fibreglass sleeving in addition to Silicon cable ?

I noticed that on the 263s there was a sort of heat resisting tape (looks like the Bake-O-Glide I use in the AGA) wrapped around the cable in a couple of places - the cable grip and where the cable passes through the base of the lamp holder - to prevent metal to cable contact?

 

Is there a preferred supplier for the cable and sleeving.

 

Questions, questions I know! :)

[Brian]

...is it still Fibreglass sleeving in addition to Silicon cable ?

Yes.

 

 

...the cable grip and where the cable passes through the base of the lamp holder - to prevent metal to cable contact?

As I said, if the cable grips aren't up to it, replace them. Extra 'stuff', as long as you have sleeving, is unlikely to be needed. If you are worried then go for extra layers of sleeving.

 

 

Is there a preferred supplier for the cable and sleeving.

Wherever you can get it.

[dmxtothemax]

What type of wire was in the lanterns originally ?

If you use exacitly the same type of wire,

then there is less chance of problems in the future, liability wise.

If you change the type of wire used, then they can come back and say "Why did you modify the original design"

should anything happen.

 

Be carefull using silicon rubber cable, as it damages very easily.

The silicon rubber is quite soft, and therefore can be easily damaged.

[oilyspark]

What type of wire was in the lanterns originally.... Why did you modify the original design ?

 

Most of these were wired with fibre-insulated flex with a woven sheath which has not been available for many years.

 

If you use exactly the same type of wire,

then there is less chance of problems in the future, liability wise

 

Except that some of the original types contained asbestos, which is not recommended for new work!

 

Where the flex clamp is of the metal-strap-with-two-screws variety, I sleeve the clamped area of the flex in high-temperature heatshrink or impregnated (non-fraying) fibreglass for an inch either side, to avoid the edges of the clamp cutting through the sheath. This done, the original clamp holds well without risk of cutting the sheath.

 

Lucien