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Rewiring an Axomat 1A

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Whateverist

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Hello all,

I recently picked up an Axomat 1a which I would like to got back in working order.

Does anyone have experience taking apart the socket housing? I'd like to replace the wiring and plug but I'd prefer not to unscrew things before I know I can put them back together.
 

BMbikerider

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Can you post an image of the housing and the plug this may trick a few memories to spinging into life after Christmas.
 
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Whateverist

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I can get detailed pictures when I get back home. Here is a low-res cellphone picture from a few days ago:

6f00d777-1a03-4cdc-933f-aa42950ebf6d
tVwlQIC.jpg
 

AgX

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I never opened an Axomat. But I assume rewiring would not be different from doing so with a household incandescent luminaire.

But by putting up this question you rather make me advise you to have it done by an electrician.
 

BMbikerider

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Firstly can I ask why you wish to re-wire the enlarger, the cable looks quite servicable to me?
Anyway.......
From what I can see the plug will present no problems. It look to me like a normal 2 pin plug used almost all over the continent as far as I know. The cable may have 3 internal wires, two of these wires will go to screwed terminals inside the plug and possibly the 3rd (if there is one) will go to another terminal on the side somewhere and this is the earth return.

There appears to be a screw on the outside of the plug which will allow you to open it up to check what is inside. Make a note or take a photograph of the wires so you can refer to it if you get mixed up. You will have to replace all the wires from the lamphouse down to the plug. I'm assuming the cable passes through the enlarger column, so remove the bulb holder and check where the wires are connected to and again make a note or take a picture. Unscrew the retaining screws and pull the wire away. Now attach the new cable to the old one securely and pull the old cable through the column making sure ther is enough slack cable for full movement of the enlarger head. (I cannot see a switch in the cable so I'm assuming the blug connects somehow to a timer.)
Bare the ends of the cables and attach the to the appropiate terminals at top and bottom. Re assemble the lamp house and it now should work.
 

AgX

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The plug is the german safety plug.
The third (yellow) wire is not the earth return, but the protective earth.

A wiring ending at a safety plug must include a protective earth wiring.
 
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Whateverist

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The plug is the german safety plug.
The third (yellow) wire is not the earth return, but the protective earth.

A wiring ending at a safety plug must include a protective earth wiring.

That did the trick! I ended up only swapping the plug (the cable looked rough at first but it was mostly grime). Started it up and it worked nicely.
 

AgX

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What was wrong with the plug?


I remember vividly back then in Flanders when I discovered a single 3-pin wall outlet (for a "safety plug", but for a version with a single protective-earth pin at its center) in my appartment.
 
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Whateverist

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What was wrong with the plug?

All the round outlets in my apartment are Type E (with ground pin), the original plug is a Type F (ground contacts on the side, no opening for a ground pin). I swapped it with a hybrid plug (CEE 7/7) which has both ground connections.
 
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AgX

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I was lucky as I only had one of these sockets in my apartment...
Modern safety plugs are a hybrid as you indicated.


If you rewire something do NOT tin wire ends before you fix them by screw in a connector. The connection will not be safe!
 
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