That would be a handy kit to have!
Now that I'm clued in to the Electroswitch data, ss I keep searching, I think I may have found an entire switch that may be a very suitable replacement. It's an Electroswitch with glass-epoxy wafers instead of steatite. I'm not sure, but I presume that would not pose a problem for this application and would certainly make matters much easier for me.
Thanks,
Barry - N4BUQ
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael A. Terrell" <terrell.michael.a@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Tuesday, September 8, 2020 8:06:23 AM
Subject: Re: [HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment] OT (just a bit) - Centralab Steatite Switches
At one time, Centralab distributors had kits of blank wafers, contacts and
a swaging tool to build custom wafers. I would love to find one that wasn't
just the dregs. It would make it easier to repair a lot of older equipment.
Let me know if you need more help.
On Tue, Sep 8, 2020 at 8:42 AM n4buq <n4buq@...> wrote:
Hi Michael,
While there could be something I'm not seeing, SurplusSales' (SWR)
PA024-2794 near the center of this page looks like what I would need:
Unfortunate that one of the wafers has only two contacts but the other two
(if all things are correct) would be drop-in replacements.
I think I have found a source for wafers that will work but the seller has
them in a 15-piece lot and I only want five so waiting to hear 1) whether
the hole spacing is correct and 2) whether he'll sell just five.
The switch in question is for an Acton Labs Model 600A VTVM from the late
'50s and is just too cool of a meter to pass up repairing it as best as I
can. I epoxied some of the broken wafers and they appeared to be okay but
then some of the more broken ones just aren't looking too good and I fear
that the epoxy job may not be a permanent as I would like. I still can't
figure how that switch was hit hard enough to break it considering
where/how it's located. Unfortunate.
Thanks again for the help.
Thanks,
Barry - N4BUQ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael A. Terrell" <terrell.michael.a@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, September 7, 2020 10:36:18 PM
Subject: Re: [HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment] OT (just a bit) - Centralab
Steatite Switches
has some surplus
Centralab switches, but they are quite proud of them. If you can identify
the proper base model, search Ebay for them.
If I can get someone to remove the brush and high weeds from the front of
my shed, I'll see what I still have. I bought them when they were still
in
production, so the prices are much lower.
On Mon, Sep 7, 2020 at 10:14 PM n4buq <n4buq@...> wrote:
Hi Michael,
Thanks so much for the link. I'm pretty sure I can identify which
switch
(or wafers) are the ones I'm looking for. I've tried epoxying the
bits and
pieces back together and have mixed results. Some are "okay" but
others
where the wafer was broken in several places are not something I think
I
can trust so will be looking for replacement wafers.
Thanks,
Barry - N4BUQ
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael A. Terrell" <terrell.michael.a@...>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, September 7, 2020 8:59:43 PM
Subject: Re: [HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment] OT (just a bit) -
Centralab
Steatite Switches
The letters indicate the wafer size and construction. They also made
phenolic switches. I think I have a new one left, but I can not get
to
the
building with them. I had some of their rotary switch datasheets on
my
Earthlink website, but they shut them all down without warning.
Centralab is now part of Electroswitch:
but they do
not use
the Centralab part numbers.
Here is an old Allied Radio catalog with one page of Centralab
switches,
on
page 230:
On Mon, Sep 7, 2020 at 11:55 AM n4buq <n4buq@...> wrote:
I'm in search of some steatite switch wafers for a broken switch
and
in my
searches, I have found many instance where the Centralab wafer
model
number
has a one to three digit designator (e.g. D, DD, PA, PS, PSY, etc.)
yet I
have not found anything that describes what those designators
indicate.
Does anyone know about those?
Specifically, I'm looking for some 1-POL, 11-POS non-shortingwafers
(where
the wiper and the other contacts are all on the same side of the
wafer).
Additionally, I need them to have the wider hole spacing (where
there's a
slight elongation of the wafer 180-deg apart to accomodate a wider
set
of
holes).
I think I can find some that will work but I still wonder what
those
designations are all about.
Thanks,
Barry - N4BUQ
