Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

kateKB54 · 26th Jun 2011, 4:46 pm

I have a CA75 in great condition which I want to use but the flexwire is falling to bits. Can't work out how to get at the neutral terminal to rewire, anyone know how to do this and if the asbestos is likely to be disturbed?

teetoon · 26th Jun 2011, 11:36 pm

Hi Kate, first thing OLD APPLIANCES CAN BE DANGEROUS ! Not wanting to scare you off but, was this known to be working before you tried to re-wire it ?
Next, a picture would help showing the terminals where the wires connect. Is the neutral terminal behind the earth one or is something else obscuring it ?
I watched my father fit new flexes to irons on many occassions in my youth, but these days they seem to be scrapped before the flex wears out!
I remember that sometimes a terminal post had to be removed to access one of the others. I think if you look down from above the terminal there may be a long brass nut with a slot in the top which you unscrewed, but this is from memory so a pic or two would be of help.
One problem you might encounter though. Does this iron have a light indicator on the side ? If so, because of the way this works it might cause an RCD in the fuse box to trip. If thats the case then it may not be usable.
As for asbestos, this is usually only in the sole plate, so unless you have opened that up you should be ok. To re-wire should only need the terminal cover removing. Also it should only have a 5 amp fuse in the plug for safety.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL !
David.

ThePillenwerfer · 27th Jun 2011, 2:18 pm

I haven't done one for a few years but have just checked and David is right.

You'll have to un-screw the split nut that holds the Earth terminal in place so you can take that off to get to the neutral.

They're certainly fiddly blighters so good luck.

I can't comment on the light being a problem as I was dealing with them before RCDs were as prevalent as they are now. They are certainly good irons as they've got some weight to them.

Cheers
- Joe

Denis G4DWC · 27th Jun 2011, 2:36 pm

I must have fixed literaly hundreds of CA75, LA75 and Hoover irons as an lowly apprentice in the 60s.

I am pretty sure David is right. From memory, the Neutral terminal is obscured behind the vertical bracket that is used to secure the rear terminal cover and Flex Earth terminal. You will probably have to make up a two pronged tool to remove the slotted brass nut that secures the bracket and, once it is removed, you can get to the Neutral terminal.

I recall I had to strip some 3 or 4 cm of Neutral wire and form this into a loop around the terminal screw and lower this into the space using the wire to hold the screw over the terminal bracket. It's gets easier after you have done the first hundred or so!

Regarding the Pilot light in the side of the iron this is connected across a small spring like shunt in series with the element and Thermostat. I can't see any reason for this arrangement to upset the working of an RCD.

It is some 50 odd years since I was mending these Irons but I can't remember seeing any Asbestos in a CA75. I may be wrong so GO CAREFUL. I remember the Mica insulated element being clamped between the soleplate and a heavy metal clamp plate.

I can still remember the awful smell from a new element. We had a special cupboard over a bench with an extractor fan to the outside world where I would test them on a Pyrometer. I think I used to set them to 180 Degs on the Wool setting.

One thing that should be done following any repair is to make sure the earth continuity is checked using a low voltage and at a few amps. A simple resistance test with a DVM just isn't adequate. In the absence of a proper PAT test unit I would do this at 5V and at 5-10Amps and calculate the resistance. 5V to ensure any oxidised bad contact is not broken down by a higher voltage and 5-10A to make sure that under fault conditions the earth continuity is not just a single strand of wire somewhere.

Any iron of this vintage should also be subjected to a 500V insulation test to make sure it is still safe to use. If you do repair the Iron and don't feel absolutely sure please get a competent person to check it is safe.

As an aside I have a friend who lives in Australia, who I still keep in touch with, and who used to work for another Radio Shop. Soon after he joined as an apprentice he was tasked with repairing a CA75. The lamp wasn't working so he reasoned 240V iron so it must be a 240V bulb.. Apparently it made quite a bang along with flying glass when this poor 2.5V lamp felt 240V for a few nS. Apparently it was pretty bright whilst it lasted!

HTH

Denis

M0ALK Richard · 27th Jun 2011, 3:37 pm

Connect up the neutral and live wires first.

Then connect up the earth wire.

Then connect up the cable clamp that fixes the whole mains cable to the body of the iron.

If you connect the cable clamp first it can be very difficult to move the live, neutral and earth wires into position.

kateKB54 · 27th Jun 2011, 7:50 pm

Thanks for all the advice. It is working so I do think it worth rewiring and the info about the split nut is really useful. It's the first time I've met one! I should be able to get a work colleague to run some of the safety checks so I'll let you know how I get on!

Heatercathodeshort · 27th Jun 2011, 10:32 pm

There is an Asbestos pad between the element and the clamp plate. Other than replacing the flex as suggested, do not take it apart as the thermostat pin will certainly break. I also used to service hundreds of irons, toasters, fires, fan heaters, hair dryers and kettles. You can determine the age of Morphy Richards appliances by the serial number. The first letter gives the year starting with 1948 for A 1949 B etc. The second letter is the month. I have a small doubt that it may be round the other way but I always used to check them! Some were Very old. I used to get all the spares from 'Micaramic Elements' of Cowleaze Road, Kingston Surrey. Now long gone together with the repair of domestic electric appliances. Regards, John.

yesnaby · 27th Jun 2011, 10:46 pm

Hello,

Re: 'two-pronged tool' - I actually made up one of these from brass rod many years ago, I think though that it has gone missing, will have a look anyway. Still have two CA75 irons here!

Michael

teetoon · 28th Jun 2011, 1:57 am

Hi everyone, I must have got confused regarding the pilot lamp, don't know why I thought it was connected to earth but it was almost 40 years ago when I last did a flex replacement on my Gran's iron. My Dad bought a reel of BICC flex for doing these repairs which was green with red flecks running through it. It was more common to see black with yellow flecks, or brown with white flecks on a Hoover iron.
Should I start a "whats your favourite colour iron flex" thread?

David.

Denis G4DWC · 28th Jun 2011, 3:31 pm

I shouldn't worry about getting confused we all do it and after all, it was a long time ago. I still can't remember the Asbestos pad in the iron but it looks like it was there.

The good thing though, is that as a group, there are enough things remembered by individuals to get the whole picture.

Regarding the Flex, it's a point to bear in mind for Kate, not to use PVC cable for a replacement.

Denis

kateKB54 · 30th Jun 2011, 7:20 pm

Thanks for all your help. Here's photo's (if I've managed to upload them correctly) including my first view of inside. I'm thrilled to have lovely iron all back in service with new flex. Far better than subscribing to the gym. When I picked up this thread I noted the " Found in Nottingham for £3 " which oddly enough was the same for me, though the new flex doubles the cost!

26th Jun 2011, 4:46 pm	#1
kateKB54 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Nottingham Posts: 3	Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. I have a CA75 in great condition which I want to use but the flexwire is falling to bits. Can't work out how to get at the neutral terminal to rewire, anyone know how to do this and if the asbestos is likely to be disturbed?

26th Jun 2011, 11:36 pm	#2
teetoon Heptode Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Barnstaple, N.Devon, UK. Posts: 557	Re: Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. Hi Kate, first thing OLD APPLIANCES CAN BE DANGEROUS ! Not wanting to scare you off but, was this known to be working before you tried to re-wire it ? Next, a picture would help showing the terminals where the wires connect. Is the neutral terminal behind the earth one or is something else obscuring it ? I watched my father fit new flexes to irons on many occassions in my youth, but these days they seem to be scrapped before the flex wears out! I remember that sometimes a terminal post had to be removed to access one of the others. I think if you look down from above the terminal there may be a long brass nut with a slot in the top which you unscrewed, but this is from memory so a pic or two would be of help. One problem you might encounter though. Does this iron have a light indicator on the side ? If so, because of the way this works it might cause an RCD in the fuse box to trip. If thats the case then it may not be usable. As for asbestos, this is usually only in the sole plate, so unless you have opened that up you should be ok. To re-wire should only need the terminal cover removing. Also it should only have a 5 amp fuse in the plug for safety. PLEASE BE CAREFUL ! David. Last edited by teetoon; 26th Jun 2011 at 11:49 pm.

27th Jun 2011, 2:18 pm	#3
ThePillenwerfer Octode Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,453	Re: Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. I haven't done one for a few years but have just checked and David is right. You'll have to un-screw the split nut that holds the Earth terminal in place so you can take that off to get to the neutral. They're certainly fiddly blighters so good luck. I can't comment on the light being a problem as I was dealing with them before RCDs were as prevalent as they are now. They are certainly good irons as they've got some weight to them. Cheers - Joe __________________ "Experts are only good at one thing: explaining why something will not work!"

27th Jun 2011, 2:36 pm	#4
Denis G4DWC Pentode Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brackley Northamptonshire, UK. Posts: 240	Re: Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. I must have fixed literaly hundreds of CA75, LA75 and Hoover irons as an lowly apprentice in the 60s. I am pretty sure David is right. From memory, the Neutral terminal is obscured behind the vertical bracket that is used to secure the rear terminal cover and Flex Earth terminal. You will probably have to make up a two pronged tool to remove the slotted brass nut that secures the bracket and, once it is removed, you can get to the Neutral terminal. I recall I had to strip some 3 or 4 cm of Neutral wire and form this into a loop around the terminal screw and lower this into the space using the wire to hold the screw over the terminal bracket. It's gets easier after you have done the first hundred or so! Regarding the Pilot light in the side of the iron this is connected across a small spring like shunt in series with the element and Thermostat. I can't see any reason for this arrangement to upset the working of an RCD. It is some 50 odd years since I was mending these Irons but I can't remember seeing any Asbestos in a CA75. I may be wrong so GO CAREFUL. I remember the Mica insulated element being clamped between the soleplate and a heavy metal clamp plate. I can still remember the awful smell from a new element. We had a special cupboard over a bench with an extractor fan to the outside world where I would test them on a Pyrometer. I think I used to set them to 180 Degs on the Wool setting. One thing that should be done following any repair is to make sure the earth continuity is checked using a low voltage and at a few amps. A simple resistance test with a DVM just isn't adequate. In the absence of a proper PAT test unit I would do this at 5V and at 5-10Amps and calculate the resistance. 5V to ensure any oxidised bad contact is not broken down by a higher voltage and 5-10A to make sure that under fault conditions the earth continuity is not just a single strand of wire somewhere. Any iron of this vintage should also be subjected to a 500V insulation test to make sure it is still safe to use. If you do repair the Iron and don't feel absolutely sure please get a competent person to check it is safe. As an aside I have a friend who lives in Australia, who I still keep in touch with, and who used to work for another Radio Shop. Soon after he joined as an apprentice he was tasked with repairing a CA75. The lamp wasn't working so he reasoned 240V iron so it must be a 240V bulb.. Apparently it made quite a bang along with flying glass when this poor 2.5V lamp felt 240V for a few nS. Apparently it was pretty bright whilst it lasted! HTH Denis __________________ If you take something apart often enough, eventually you'll have two of them.... Last edited by Denis G4DWC; 27th Jun 2011 at 2:39 pm. Reason: Overtaken by previous post whilst typing this response

27th Jun 2011, 3:37 pm	#5
M0ALK Richard Tetrode Join Date: May 2008 Location: Huntingdon, UK. Posts: 78	Re: Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. Connect up the neutral and live wires first. Then connect up the earth wire. Then connect up the cable clamp that fixes the whole mains cable to the body of the iron. If you connect the cable clamp first it can be very difficult to move the live, neutral and earth wires into position.

27th Jun 2011, 7:50 pm	#6
kateKB54 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Nottingham Posts: 3	Re: Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. Thanks for all the advice. It is working so I do think it worth rewiring and the info about the split nut is really useful. It's the first time I've met one! I should be able to get a work colleague to run some of the safety checks so I'll let you know how I get on!

27th Jun 2011, 10:32 pm	#7
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. There is an Asbestos pad between the element and the clamp plate. Other than replacing the flex as suggested, do not take it apart as the thermostat pin will certainly break. I also used to service hundreds of irons, toasters, fires, fan heaters, hair dryers and kettles. You can determine the age of Morphy Richards appliances by the serial number. The first letter gives the year starting with 1948 for A 1949 B etc. The second letter is the month. I have a small doubt that it may be round the other way but I always used to check them! Some were Very old. I used to get all the spares from 'Micaramic Elements' of Cowleaze Road, Kingston Surrey. Now long gone together with the repair of domestic electric appliances. Regards, John.

27th Jun 2011, 10:46 pm	#8
yesnaby Octode Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Newport, Gwent, UK. Posts: 1,623	Re: Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. Hello, Re: 'two-pronged tool' - I actually made up one of these from brass rod many years ago, I think though that it has gone missing, will have a look anyway. Still have two CA75 irons here! Michael

28th Jun 2011, 1:57 am	#9
teetoon Heptode Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Barnstaple, N.Devon, UK. Posts: 557	Re: Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. Hi everyone, I must have got confused regarding the pilot lamp, don't know why I thought it was connected to earth but it was almost 40 years ago when I last did a flex replacement on my Gran's iron. My Dad bought a reel of BICC flex for doing these repairs which was green with red flecks running through it. It was more common to see black with yellow flecks, or brown with white flecks on a Hoover iron. Should I start a "whats your favourite colour iron flex" thread? David.

28th Jun 2011, 3:31 pm	#10
Denis G4DWC Pentode Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brackley Northamptonshire, UK. Posts: 240	Re: Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. I shouldn't worry about getting confused we all do it and after all, it was a long time ago. I still can't remember the Asbestos pad in the iron but it looks like it was there. The good thing though, is that as a group, there are enough things remembered by individuals to get the whole picture. Regarding the Flex, it's a point to bear in mind for Kate, not to use PVC cable for a replacement. Denis __________________ If you take something apart often enough, eventually you'll have two of them....

30th Jun 2011, 7:20 pm	#11
kateKB54 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Nottingham Posts: 3	Re: Rewiring a Morphy Richards CA75 iron. Thanks for all your help. Here's photo's (if I've managed to upload them correctly) including my first view of inside. I'm thrilled to have lovely iron all back in service with new flex. Far better than subscribing to the gym. When I picked up this thread I noted the " Found in Nottingham for £3 " which oddly enough was the same for me, though the new flex doubles the cost! Attached Thumbnails