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Hi guys, first time posting, please bare with me! I have an old test chart as shown in the pics that i would like to get running. Everything lights up seperately, the bit at the top/the red and green rings/the white rings/the line of letters at the bottom/the hole at the bottom used as a light for people to fixate on/the main chart on the right.

The top bit also rotates right and left (the arrow to point at lines at a certain angle) and also the single line of letters on the bottom left rotates round to change letters.


Someone has chopped off the switches that are used to control everything, I was thinking of making up some switches in a small box (I've attached a pic of what an original would look like). I just need some help with the wiring.

So each bit mentioned in the first paragraph has its own switch to switch it on and off. There is one wire (common neutral?) That's wired to each bulb ( starts at the top and connected in series to each bulb, then connected to the neutral (blue) that comes from the power plug. Then there's a single wire (live?) That comes from each bulb that comes to the connecting block at the bottom.

The rotation on the top bit with the lines is automatically powered when the bulbs(3 connected together) for that area are powered, but the motor has 2 wires coming down ( 2 orange wires in the connecting block) to control it going left and right (by switching the polarity of the motor?)

The rotation of the single line of letters is powered on its own, it has 1 wire connecting to the neutral from the power plug, and another single purple wire (live?) going to the connecting block (same as each light bulb).

  • I have 1 wire connected to the earth(from power plug) that leaves the chart box to connect to the switchbox
  • 1 wire connected to the brown live(from power plug) that leaves the chart box to be connected to the switchbox
  • 1 wire from each bulb leaving the chartbox to be connected to the switchbox, (6 in total, top 3 are wired together, and one is inside the rotating drum at the bottom)
  • 1 wire from the bottom left rotating drum leaving the chart box to be connected to the switchbox
  • 2 wires from the top rotation bit leaving the chart box to be connected to the switch box.
-there is also 1 wire(white with green dashes) just wrapped round one of the sheathes which doesn't seemed to be connected anywhere?


How do I wire the switch box? Any ideas?

Thanks for your input
 

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Made by Archer-Elliott, but I can't immediately see wiring info on the interweb.
Mains live seems to go off just to the switch box, so the application of a little thought and tracing or measuring what each choc-block terminal does would allow you to wire all the bulbs to a home made switch box.

I suggest you don't use telephone cable for mains wiring to the controller, as the last owner seems to have done.

Maybe you could persuade the owner of this one to let you see which wire goes where 🤪Large Vintage Optician’s Eye Test Light Box by Archer Elliott | eBay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254746649814

or here: Test chart | Used Test Chart Box | Ophthalmic Equipment | Used Optical Equipment and Ophthalmic Instruments - Largest Online - https://www.opticalmarketplace.co.uk/used-equipment/ophthalmic-equipment/used-test-chart-box/omp17188/test-chart/
 
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Thanks Avo, I've messaged the person! I know what each block does, just don't know how to wire each switch. Oh it didn't even occur to me that someone has already replaced the wiring but yes you're right, after the block it's telephone wiring!
 
Thanks Avo, I've messaged the person! I know what each block does, just don't know how to wire each switch. Oh it didn't even occur to me that someone has already replaced the wiring but yes you're right, after the block it's telephone wiring!

This is mains voltage wiring, and you need to be competent to construct such a switch box to ensure it is safe.
You should also use test equipment to ensure it is wired correctly before connecting it to power.

Seeing photo's of the original control box, I imagine the rocker switches are centre off, single pole double throw, but the switches for the motors could be 'retractive', ie a push button that only provides power when you press. If you get a response to your query, maybe worth checking that?

I don't mean to be rude, but if you aren't aware of how to take a live feed to a switch, connect the switch output to a load, ensure the other side of the load is connected to neutral, which is the essence of what is required here, and then test it, then maybe getting some local help would be the best way to go.
 
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