Boxes Joint Quad Cable No.1

Am I right in thinking these are more a signals than sparks thing?

Sean other way round. VAOS Section is electrical supply.

Thanks Clive, I couldn't find the VAOS section. Glands looked too small for any meaningful power cable.

I think it reads W2

Originally this was Electric cables & wires, primary cells & miscellaneous electrical stores.

This W2 Section became obsolete & was reallocated to:

Air compressors, pneumatic equipment & accessories

PS if it was signals it would be:

Y Line equipment

Z Radio & electronic

It does read W2, I just couldn't find what that VAOS code referred to. In fact it's W2/WB2768.

Used to have that sort of connector for lighting set ups in tents etc.

Should also be some 3 pin (Square type) 4 way connectors and end to end in line connectors.

Bulbs fitted by screw in pin points that pierced the insulation to contact the wire inside.

I would hate to think how many holes there would be in the insulation in the main cable runs.

All at 240 volt very nice on a wet day outside on Salisbury plain.

I think in this instance the wires are simply twisted together & provided you twisted in the correct direction those white ceramic do-das, which have an internal thread, just twist over the twisted wires.

The ceramic holds the twisted wires & of course gives a degree of insulation. Rather crude but quite effective. I have just had to fit a new lead to my Chinese workshop halogen light that uses this method.

They are, Clive, that's correct. Of course if one was unsure, one could always use inline connectors or choc blocs.

I'm not even sure whether the ceramic twist-on caps, or the box as a whole, would comply with current regs, though I can't see why the box wouldn't unless CE marking or something.

They are, Clive, that's correct. Of course if one was unsure, one could always use inline connectors or choc blocs.

 

I'm not even sure whether the ceramic twist-on caps, or the box as a whole, would comply with current regs, though I can't see why the box wouldn't unless CE marking or something.

Er, no.

It is Signals equipment, and meant for jointing "lightweight Quad" telephone cable if you get a break in the line. The cable is basically two pairs of D10 type cable in an overall plastic jacket, with one pair being white and the other black for ease of identification. Jointing would be done using the standard Hellerman tool and crimp sleeves, as with normal D10 cables.

Quad is used were you need two circuits, e.g. for carrier telephony with repeaters for long distances, as you can use one pair in each direction, making the repeater circuitry a lot simpler (and lighter).

Chris.

(If you've got a few of them, I'd like a couple for the collection. (Though then I'd have to get some Quad to go with them!))

Believe it or not, the ceramic "screw-it" type connectors you speak of are still a recognised connector, but have been updated to current regs. The must be enclosed in a box with suitable strain relief. This site is American, but they are available in most electrical wholesalers

http://lighting.freightliquidators.com/product/5/11917/Ideal-30222-Setscrew-Wire-Connectors-2210-Awg-100-Pack.html

PS if it was signals it would be:

Y Line equipment

Z Radio & electronic

It is Signals equipment, and meant for jointing "lightweight Quad" telephone cable if you get a break in the line...

Found another box which are labelled Y3 (Y3/WB2768) so either they're both or someone put the wrong VAOS code on one lot!

Chris, I'm sure we can sort you some out.

Thanks all for your comments.

Y3 makes more sense for this particular application.

Illustration below comes from Trade Training Notes. Part 4. Notes for Technical Storemen Royal Signals. Aug. 1955.

That's it exactly, Clive. Is there no end to your talents?! I think some stores man or supplier was a bit cavalier with the labelling on some of them, then.

Thanks.

That's it exactly, Clive. Is there no end to your talents?! I think some stores man or supplier was a bit cavalier with the labelling on some of them, then.

 

Thanks.

More likely it was originally under Section W (since it has a WB stores code) and then they moved it across to Section Y when they reorganised the catalogue to reuse Section W for something else.

One box is W2/WB2768 and the other is Y3/WB2768 - is the first bit the DMC? (Domestic Management Code/Category.)

Things got rather complicated after WW2.

Clives illustration is from 1955, which predates the introduction of the Hellerman crimp tool (that made life so much easier when jointing D10.

Chris.

It is indeed curious Sean. I doubt that it is a printing error as that has to have occurred twice. I suspect that it is dual purpose item, which role came first I don't know.

I notice in my storeman's book that hand tools are correctly listed in VAOS Section F1, but once the tools become part of a tool kit they go under VAOS Section Y2.

Maybe this W2 electrical supply item was available in that designation for general individual use but supplied to R.Signals its Section designation changed to Y2. Seems an awful complication to have two identical items with different stores numbers. But the Royal Navy seem particularly keen on that complication in that many items of supply are based on the parent system they fit rather than the stand alone identity of an individual item.

One box is W2/WB2768 and the other is Y3/WB2768 - is the first bit the DMC? (Domestic Management Code/Category.)

 

Things got rather complicated after WW2.

 

Clives illustration is from 1955, which predates the introduction of the Hellerman crimp tool (that made life so much easier when jointing D10.

Chris, the first bit is what is (as I understand it) now referred to as the DMC, but would probably have been referred to as the VAOS section when these were packed.

I think I was being slightly flippant when suggesting some stores man had got it wrong.

I've found these VAOS sections in Clive's paper on NATO part numbers - I hadn't checked there before, as these parts are too early for NATO numbers and I'd forgotten there was a big list of VAOS sections / DMC codes there.

Clive, in that list you refer to W2 as obsolete for 'electric cable and wires, primary cells and miscellaneous electrical stores'. Y3 has become 'wire and cable, electrical cable drums'. That would explain why some are labelled with one code, some with the other. I could see that it would be possible for stores to escape re-classification one way or another.

Being strict about the definitions, the signals sections don't actually refer to cable unless you count it as 'equipment', so again I suppose you might see that all cables irrespective of their use might get classified into the VAOS section that refers to cables??

Chris, these boxes I think also pre-date the Hellerman tools, and are probably a lot more contemporaneous with Clive's illustration! If you look in the original photo, you'll see the ceramic twist connectors bottom left.

Chris, the first bit is what is (as I understand it) now referred to as the DMC, but would probably have been referred to as the VAOS section when these were packed.

The earliest VAOS I have is dated 1940 prior to that items with their description seemed to be associated with a paragraph in Lists of Change in War Materiel. The earliest VAOS index of Sections I have is 1943 when at that stage the sections were quite modest.

By 1955 those had expanded into this:

Section W became quite diverse to include Sections on sewing machines, water supply, optical instruments, laundries, vacuum cleaners, anti-riot stores, petrol distribution, field bakery etc.

I think electrical cables & all that sort of thing ended up in X2

I'll have to see if I can find a packing date on them!