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Other Vintage Household Electrical or Electromechanical Items For discussions about other vintage (over 25 years old) electrical and electromechanical household items. See the sticky thread for details. |
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3rd Jan 2023, 2:50 pm | #41 |
Octode
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Rayleigh near Southend-On-Sea, Essex, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Fingers crossed…
Leak is a massive rabbit hole on the net, so Just a couple pointers it’s the speaker plugs/sockets used on the Leak Transistor amplifiers Stereo 30 and Stereo 70. As for manufacturers it could be someone like Bulgin, Clix, Cinch or McMurdo – something to get started with. You will encounter the more common round and flat two pin Bulgin plug and sockets, as used on early valve Leak equipment, but that won’t be your kiddie. Terry Last edited by Valvepower; 3rd Jan 2023 at 3:00 pm. |
3rd Jan 2023, 2:55 pm | #42 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Curiouser and curiouser.
I also remember something very similar being used on the old Ever Ready AD35/B126 type batteries, and also as the loudspeaker connection on some 1960s car radios.
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3rd Jan 2023, 3:17 pm | #43 | |
Pentode
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Quote:
I've googled this and its very interesting what comes up... The pins look about the right size but that 12mm distance apart is a problem as from my Minicraft drill plug, the distance between the pins is around 9mm. (See attached photos). I'm sure it is for a low voltage gadget of some sort... if not audio (I think it is !)... could it have been for a handheld trouser press or some low voltage lamp or weather station ?? Best Regards, Joseph. |
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3rd Jan 2023, 3:26 pm | #44 | |
Nonode
Join Date: Aug 2015
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Quote:
Martin
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3rd Jan 2023, 3:36 pm | #45 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Wiltshire, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
A quick trawl through the Mullard Magic website shows a few possibilities...
https://mullard.org/collections/comp...ket-plug-combo https://mullard.org/collections/comp...tch-13mm-pitch https://mullard.org/collections/comp...tapping-points https://mullard.org/collections/comp...tapping-points
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3rd Jan 2023, 4:50 pm | #46 | |
Pentode
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Quote:
The 9mm pitch plug in the last link looks like the correct plug for this stange grey plastic plug socket that was in the master bedroom of my newly bought house. It definitely looks like a loudspeaker plug socket of some sort, the fact that it was grey plastic and not Bakelite dates it to the 1950's era and beyond as that was when the first modern plastics appeared. I keep on thinking that it could have been wired to a intercom handset phone in the downstairs hallway or kitchen but I can't seem to find any trace of any old wiring to back up this theory but if it was many years ago and lots of decorating has taken place then it is possible someone did a good job removing the old wiring and filling and painting where the wiring once was ! I still keep on wondering why on the right hand side of the fireplace skirting board ?... could it have been for a low voltage fan/blower that plugged into it to blow more air into a coal fire for more heat ?? I still think "mantle piece clock" !... but all the ones I've seen seem to be proper mains voltage and this plug socket screams LOW VOLTS ! Wonder what else it could have been for ?... The electric arm chair scenario I came up with a few posts back seemed to tally well with where that plug socket was placed, the only thing wrong was I think that the motors in that arm chair would draw more amps then the capacity of that little socket could handle... so that is why I don't think it was for an electric reclining arm chair ! Maybe a reading light of some sort from the 1960's/70's seems possible |
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3rd Jan 2023, 5:03 pm | #47 | ||
Pentode
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Quote:
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3rd Jan 2023, 5:20 pm | #48 | |
Nonode
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Cambridge, Cambs. UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Quote:
Martin
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3rd Jan 2023, 5:38 pm | #49 | ||
Pentode
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Quote:
I would agree with that, and just to add that I think that socket may have been connected to a low voltage power supply DC transformer module that could have been (or still is !) located under the floorboards in that area of the room and connected to the wiring of the old MK BS1363 230v power sockets via a rose ! ... I also think those 1363 MK mains sockets are much older then this strange 2 pin socket... I would say that it was an additional low power socket professionally installed by a professional tradesman or a confident DIY'er who knew what they were doing - Whatever the reason for that plug socket, It must have been for a very good reason of importance to someone for someone get all the floorboard up in that area and make such a neat job before it was removed and deleted by the decorator last month ! I'm going to draw a sketch of this setup tonight and post back here then quoting this post... Best Regards Joseph |
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3rd Jan 2023, 5:44 pm | #50 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Kingston upon Hull, East Yorkshire, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Looks like a sewing machine plug from the 60's, I used to PAT test a few of them at work.
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3rd Jan 2023, 8:56 pm | #51 | |
Pentode
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Quote:
I was thinking this morning in one of my earlier posts it could have been for a sewing machine of some sort ! - I can just imagine some nice old lady sitting down in her chair back in the swinging 1960's comfortably sewing garments from sewing patterns she bought down at Abakhan fabrics or Woolworths ! Her sewing machine might have been on a small high table situated in that right hand alcove !... If it wasn't a sewing machine that strange 2 pin plug socket was used for... She may have just had a normal sewing machine that plugged into one of the points of that 1363 MK socket but her husband may have rigged up a low voltage light for her ? (like the ones in in an operating theatre) so she could see what she was doing when sewing the patterns ! I could be wrong ! and it could have been for some nice old boy who had his Emco Unimat SL hobby lathe set up on a table in that alcove and also needed a low voltage work light when he was turning down o gauge steam locomotive parts for his model making hobby ! you never know ! Whatever that socket was for I guess we'll work it out sooner than later. Best Wishes, Joseph |
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3rd Jan 2023, 9:04 pm | #52 | |||
Pentode
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Quote:
It could have well been wired to a low voltage bell transformer putting out 8 volts AC at 500ma - That is possible if it was used for a small light or clock... EDIT: I just remembered I had bid on and won an old 8v bell socket late last year with a similar set up to my sketch and a 2 pin socket !... only that socket looks much more older than the grey modern plastic phantom plug socket with unequal size pins holes that this topic is about and what it was for ! - The brown Bakelite socket mounted on the bell transformer board is bigger and has both pin holes the same size - See last couple of images after my sketches. Last edited by Bittyboy; 3rd Jan 2023 at 9:34 pm. |
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3rd Jan 2023, 9:29 pm | #53 | ||
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Greater Manchester, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Quote:
My grandfather owned a garment factory, and I can well imagine it was for Music While You Work, but surplus to requirements. An equally early memory was the kitchen radio, which I remember well enough to be able to identify it now as Pye 47X. The speaker was connected via a twisted cloth covered flex that led out of the kitchen, it could only have gone to the radiogram in the dining room. So, was the radio a later acquisition which made the speaker redundant, or was it kept in use to listen to gramophone records in the kitchen? (78RPM only from that RG). Like the socket under investigation here, I guess we will never know!
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3rd Jan 2023, 9:42 pm | #54 |
Nonode
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Stafford, Staffs. UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
If the socket is the size of the connector on your Minicraft, it's very low current. So nothing with much power draw.
Sewing machines such as the one my Mum had in the 60s were mains powered with built in mains powered work lamps. Sorry but I don't buy a remotely mounted transformer / low voltage power supply. It just wasn't a thing until wall warts came along (or when I used my train transformer to power a battery lamp). |
3rd Jan 2023, 9:43 pm | #55 | |||
Pentode
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Quote:
It definitely seems like an old audio socket for an external speaker... |
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3rd Jan 2023, 9:51 pm | #56 | |
Pentode
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Wirral, Merseyside, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Quote:
I have a gut feeling that some of the other posters are right when they say it could be for an external speaker of some sort. I find it hard to believe either that someone could go to all the trouble to rip up all the floorboards just to fit an concealed low voltage power supply, what if something went wrong with it or worse it caused a fire ?... I would have thought for safety reasons the power source to that socket would have been placed somewhere sensible so that it's easy to get to should something go wrong ? More likely that the wire (speaker or bell type wire) did pass through the floor and into the room below which is the main lounge sitting room - No sign of such a hole in the ceiling downstairs now as its probably been filled and painted over and over again... but in the room upstairs I did lift the carpet whilst that socket was still in place and saw a off white speaker or bell like wire going into a hole that's drilled in the floorboard and right up to the skirting board... My vote is for external speaker socket unless someone has another socket the same that's still in use today ! and could put us out of our misery lol ! Best wishes, Joseph. Last edited by Bittyboy; 3rd Jan 2023 at 9:58 pm. |
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3rd Jan 2023, 10:57 pm | #57 |
Nonode
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Cambridge, Cambs. UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Well, the mystery socket would have fulfilled the prime requirement for an extension speaker socket, which is to be totally incompatible with any mains sockets in the building.
Martin
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4th Jan 2023, 10:20 am | #58 | ||
Octode
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Location: Rayleigh near Southend-On-Sea, Essex, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Hello,
A few things. I had a look through the Leak Blurb, instructions and manuals and couldn’t find any mention of the manufacturer or type of the plugs used on the Stereo 30 and 70. I’ll keep my eyes peeled whilst at jumbles, rallies, and swapmeets for one of these sockets. I did note the Stereo 70 has a set of remote speaker sockets; so, the ‘extension’ speaker idea carried on – in a few products – into the days of ‘separates’ hi-fi equipment. Quote:
This part of the standard revolves around the insertion of a test pin/pointer/probe - from memory of 4mm diameter - into an piece of equipment and it becoming live or hazardous in use. I think the plan was to outlaw the use 4mm plugs and sockets on speaker leads thus removing the potential hazard (?) of speaker leads fitted with 4mm plugs. Mind you, you could take a piece of speaker lead and bare the ends and sick them in Schuko power socket! Quote:
Terry |
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4th Jan 2023, 10:36 am | #59 |
Heptode
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Olympia, Washington, USA.
Posts: 664
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
Have you checked it for any voltages? I would test for AC first.
If your home had a "maids room" there may be a similar outlet there for a bell or chime. It -is- possible it was some type of antenna outlet also. I would check the attic to see if a wire runs directly from the plug to the attic also, and if so, you may be able to follow it. Just some thoughts. |
4th Jan 2023, 11:52 am | #60 |
Heptode
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: Leicestershire, UK.
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Re: Strange 2 pin plug socket in upstairs master bedroom (Victorian end Terrace house
There is only one way to answer this Enigma ... The carpet has to be rolled back, the floor boards have to come up then the cable has to be traced back to the other end (which may involve lifting floorboards in other rooms).
Rog |