1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

Good evening all,

Would you please let me know the correct name of the connectors/plugs that I have attached.

Is it possible to rewire them or is it not possible unable to separate/unscrew?

Thank you.

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

They're "Wander plugs".

Now alas extinct as a new-purchase, but a trawl of the usual online auction-sites will no doubt come up trumps.

The most-popular brand making these was 'Clix'.

In your case, try fitting something like a knife-blade into the gap between the two 'legs' of the plug-part, then unscrewing the plastic body. if you're lucky it will unscrew and then you can fit a new wire. If you're unlucky the plastic part will have become brittle with age and will crunble/split when you try to un-screw it.

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

They are easy to rewire - the metal bit unscrews from the plastic bit, and then it's pretty obvious how to connect the flex.

Mike

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

Thank you, didn't want to damage them, so thought I would check first.

Yes, as you say, they are Clix.

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

All done; quality products in those days.

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

Rather than the common 4mm plugs, wander plugs are 3mm.

Not sure what caused this handy size to go obsolete.

Martin

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

I note that the speaker core wires are steel; when did they start to use copper wire?

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

Are you sure its steel ?

Most of this sort of wire is tinned copper.

Cheers

Mike T

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

Ah, that it explains it; must be tinned copper.

Thanks Mike

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

Aren't they 1/8" rather than 3mm?

3mm plugs (still available) will fit well enough usually.

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

A good little business for someone in China; these plugs are selling for £12 each on eBay!!!!

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

Tinning was necessary with the old rubber-insulated wires because the sulphur that was present in the rubber would attack bare copper. Tinning continued to be used when plastic first replaced rubber. Presumably its general use ceased once it was realised that modern plastics such as PVC do not attack bare copper.

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

It was sometimes also used with single insulated twin cable to differentiate the cores. The plugs would have been 1/8 rather than 3mm back then.

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

On closer inspection, I can now see that the speaker wires with the tinned wire are actually rubber.

I don't particularly want to replace everything inside the radio as would like to keep as much of the original as possible but would you recommend changing the speaker wires with new?

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

Apologies: should have specified 3.175mm.

And yes, 3mm plugs are available from China on eBay, though I don't think there's any current electronics kit using them.

Martin

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

I was told that use was discouraged, and perhaps actually prohibited, because the plugs fitted the mains voltage selector on some sets.
One common type of mains voltage adjustment used a small 2 pin plug, with the 2 pins connected together. By inserting the plug into different combinations of holes, differing tappings on a transformer or dropper resistance could be selected.
Connecting a speaker to these connections could be most dangerous.

The larger 4mm plugs were I believe also banned for domestic equipment because the plugs fit European mains sockets.
4mm plugs are still used in labs and workshops, but are not allowed on new domestic appliances.

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

Hi Martin,

I was referring to Chinese manufacturing the wander plugs.

Brian

Rubber/PVC Speaker Wires
 

This question was lost in a previous thread, so apologies for posting again.

On closer inspection, I can now see that the speaker wires with the tinned wire are actually rubber.

I don't particularly want to replace everything inside the radio as would like to keep as much of the original as possible but would you recommend changing the speaker wires with new?

Thank you.

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

Only if the insulation is in poor condition or maybe just cosmetically bad. One big difference between valve and transistor equipment is that shorted speaker outputs generally don't upset valve equipment though open circuits may well do, vice versa for transistor gear.

Re: 1950's Speaker Connection Plug
 

Thanks Chris.

Brian