Batteries for Old Ever Ready Torch

[Heatercathodeshort]

What about the U10? May be two in series. John.

[Paul_A_R]

Hi, thanks but I think two U10 batteries would end up too long.

I have mocked up a tube to the dimensions of the 2x U11 (C) (Ever Ready 1839, Drydex 2T15) 1" x 3 3/4". This fits for length but is a little too wide at switch. This is an issue mentioned on a US forum about variation in the size of C cells. https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/new-batteries-no-longer-fitting-old-flashlights.484592/

Current C cells appear to be at the top of the size range mentioned in the standards and just over 1". Whilst older cells marketed at 1" could be slightly smaller than that.

The U10 is narrower so clearance would not be an issue but they are quite a bit longer so two in series would be too long for the torch.

I am pretty sure that two AA cells as mentioned by Stuart at #19 will fit.

[Brigham]

Modern-day C cells have a steel casing surrounding the zinc pot.
Cut it away with a hacksaw blade, and substitute a cardboard wrapper the same thickness as the original Ever Ready label. I use wide masking tape, followed by a paper label printed with the original style artwork.
Looks good; fits nicely.

[ortek_service]

There are plastic tubes in approx 'C' ('SP/HP11') & 'D' ('HP2') sizes that are designed to take a smaller-diameter 'AA' cell in the centre as they are mostly hollow but had internal spacers to keep the 'AA' cell in the centre.

And I wonder if these would be a bit less diameter than a typical 'C' cell?

Unfortunately I don't have the ones I had to hand at present, to measure one.
- But some typical ones are here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/EBL-Battery-Converters-Adapter-Holders-White/dp/B0768T58PT

[Brigham]

Why would someone want an adaptor to make a readily-available battery fit a different readily-available battery?

[Paul_A_R]

I have stripped the casing from a C battery and they do fit that way.

I may have one of those C cell adapters and will check dimensions. I have all sorts of adapters and they are mostly very cheap. I know I have the D Cell adapters as four of them are currently in an MPD PJ996 adapter (not quite so cheap) powering an Ever Ready Solar 5000. This is only temporary as CPC assure me that D cells will arrive tomorrow. The PJ996 adapter will be replaced the next time I go to Screwfix. I am not sure whether there is a use case for them beyond only needing to keep a stock of AAs to keep everything going pending restocking of other batteries but there are loads of them on line.

Paul

[Paul_A_R]

Regarding the original intention to get the nice blue Ever Ready to work; unfortunately it does not.

The bulb works if power is applied to it, unfortunately to torch does not provide power to it.

There is continuity from the spring to the metal switch but whether the switch is on or off there is no continuity to the copper contact.

I have cleaned all the visible parts to no effect. I also tried a bit of servisol which allowed the switch to move more freely but did not restore contact.

Is there anything else I can try or would it be a case of removing the rivets to take the switch off to access the copper contact underneath?

Paul

[stuarth]

I can reply to the question in post 25 with a different question: why would you use an expensive D cell or C cell where a much cheaper and more ubiquitous AA cell in an adaptor works just as well?

As an example, the AVO 8 uses a D cell. It was designed when batteries were zinc carbon, and even then it doesn’t really need to be such a big cell, many compact meters with similar resistance ranges to the AVO 8, including AVO’s own 70 series, used AA cells.

Alkaline AA cells have an ESR of only 0.3 Ohms, so won’t degrade accuracy of resistance ranges, and unless you spend hours and hours measuring low value resistors, then the battery life will be its shelf life, whichever cell size you use.

I can pick up packs of AA cells locally, 26p/cell, top rated in Which?, and I have plenty of uses for the rest of the pack. I’d have to go to a big supermarket, or maybe mail order, for a pack of (two) D cells, and I’m not sure what I’d do with the rest of the pack.

Stuart

[Jolly 7]

Originally Posted by Paul_A_R

Regarding the original intention to get the nice blue Ever Ready to work; unfortunately it does not.

The bulb works if power is applied to it, unfortunately to torch does not provide power to it.

There is continuity from the spring to the metal switch but whether the switch is on or off there is no continuity to the copper contact.

I have cleaned all the visible parts to no effect. I also tried a bit of servisol which allowed the switch to move more freely but did not restore contact.

Is there anything else I can try or would it be a case of removing the rivets to take the switch off to access the copper contact underneath?

Paul

Without seeing the pictures of the actual construction of the switch, it is difficult to know if this is a contact issue due to the upper part of the switch not making electrical contact with the peripheral contact of the bulb holder. I have come across problems in old torches where the metal leaf of the switch, either copper or brass, was not making contact with the bulb holder when switched on. Bending the metal leaf gently a little with a screwdriver or a pair of forceps might help restore contact, provided it is corrosion free. Battery corrosion can eat away a bit of the metal leaf, in which case electrical contact with the bulb will be lost. However, the leaf might be repairable if it is required.

[emeritus]

Leclanché "D" cells like the old Ever Ready U2, had a capacity of about 2Ah. I think a modern alkaline AA has a greater Ah capacity than that, so using one in an adaptor should be fine.

[Silicon]

Is the spring making a good connection with the end cap (and battery)?

[Paul_A_R]

Thanks for the further comments.

I attach photos of the switch. The set up seems standard I have several torches with similar switches.

I think the spring is making good contact. There is continuity between the spring and the switch. There is no continuity between the spring and the brass contact, regardless of what position the switch is in.

Once I get the switch to connect with the contact I will check whether the brass needs tweaked to make contact withe bulb assembly.

Paul

[Jolly 7]

The switch appears to be corrosion free. Hopefully a little tweak to the brass will help establish good contact with the bulb holder and the bulb.

[Paul_A_R]

I have ground off the rivets holding the switch to the body of the torch.

It appears that the problem is that the bar underneath the switch can not make contact with the strip underneath.

It seems likely that this contact depends on a snugly fitting battery underneath to raise the contact to the point that the switch can make contact.

My mock up battery was a loose fit so the switch could not work even though it was not itself faulty.

I will make the substitute battery wider and try again.

Paul

[Paul_A_R]

The gap between the switch contact and the torch body contact was too wide. A shim underneath the torch contact allows the torch to function again.

I was going to make an Ever Ready battery for the Ever Ready Torch. I already had the Drydex graphic for their Bijou, however, so it was easier to edit that than start afresh.

Paul

[FrankB]

They made a "sub C" cell battery that was about the dimensions you posted. I have a light that uses them, but even in the days they were "common" here they were not only expensive to buy & hard to find, and that was 30-40 years ago here in the U.S.

[Craig Sawyers]

Plenty of sub-C's at CPC in rechargeable and non-rechargeable types.

Lower voltage that regular zinc/carbon at 1.2V typical. But easily available at up to 3.3Ah. About a fiver after VAT.

Craig