Raymond Sprouse
Member
- Messages
- 25
I have an old Racal Airlite powered respirator face shield. The batter pack wouldn't hold a charge for very long. I searched online for a new pack with no luck. They stopped making these a long time ago. But since it still is a good shape and I don't want to spend the $$ for a new model, I decided to rebuild the battery.
On this unit, the battery pack slides inside the top of the face shield. I removed the pack from the helmet. I carefuly removed the plastic cover off the top of the pack to reveal the cells. There where 3 cells inside. They are the same diameter as a standard AA battery but slightly longer. I got my multi meter out and tested the voltage. It read 2.4 volts. I searched online for 3 replacement cells. However, not knowing what they are called and the fact that the cells didn't have any writing on them, I decided to use 2 AA type batteries.
Since I need to charge the new batteries in a standard 1 hour charger, I didn't want to put them into the Racal battery pack. Then I would have to remove them from the pack when I need a charge. So I decided to make my own. I rummaged through my junk for about an hour. I looked through my son's old toys for something that used 2 AA batteries. Finally I found an old plastic flashlight that used 2 AA's.
I took the flashlight apart. I removed the lens and bulb. I ran two wires through the bulb hole in the reflector. I soldered on wire on the two contact points on the back of the reflector, added batteries, and replaced the top of the flashlight. I drilled a hole along the edge of the lens for the wires to stick out. I replaced the lens allowing the wires to pass through using the hole.
I then went back to my junk pile and found a headphone jack and plug (at least that is what I think they are). I soldered the jack to my leads on my flashlight battery pack. The plug I soldered to a 3' length of wire. Then I soldered the other end of this wire to the two connection points on the blower fan on the Racal. I flipped the switch on the flashlight and it fired right up.
I then took an old hacksaw blade and ground the shape teeth off. I bent it in half and made a belt clip similar to one on a tape measure. I put it on the flashlight and made a few more bends so it fit the curve of the light nicely. I added some CA glue and I was off to the shop.
I used it for about 6 hours yesterday and it was still running strong. I'll keep using the batteries until they are completely dead just to get an idea how long they last. I found that the clip works well but I have just been placing the batter pack in the back pocket of my turning smock.
Thanks for looking,
WoodChux
On this unit, the battery pack slides inside the top of the face shield. I removed the pack from the helmet. I carefuly removed the plastic cover off the top of the pack to reveal the cells. There where 3 cells inside. They are the same diameter as a standard AA battery but slightly longer. I got my multi meter out and tested the voltage. It read 2.4 volts. I searched online for 3 replacement cells. However, not knowing what they are called and the fact that the cells didn't have any writing on them, I decided to use 2 AA type batteries.
Since I need to charge the new batteries in a standard 1 hour charger, I didn't want to put them into the Racal battery pack. Then I would have to remove them from the pack when I need a charge. So I decided to make my own. I rummaged through my junk for about an hour. I looked through my son's old toys for something that used 2 AA batteries. Finally I found an old plastic flashlight that used 2 AA's.
I took the flashlight apart. I removed the lens and bulb. I ran two wires through the bulb hole in the reflector. I soldered on wire on the two contact points on the back of the reflector, added batteries, and replaced the top of the flashlight. I drilled a hole along the edge of the lens for the wires to stick out. I replaced the lens allowing the wires to pass through using the hole.
I then went back to my junk pile and found a headphone jack and plug (at least that is what I think they are). I soldered the jack to my leads on my flashlight battery pack. The plug I soldered to a 3' length of wire. Then I soldered the other end of this wire to the two connection points on the blower fan on the Racal. I flipped the switch on the flashlight and it fired right up.
I then took an old hacksaw blade and ground the shape teeth off. I bent it in half and made a belt clip similar to one on a tape measure. I put it on the flashlight and made a few more bends so it fit the curve of the light nicely. I added some CA glue and I was off to the shop.
I used it for about 6 hours yesterday and it was still running strong. I'll keep using the batteries until they are completely dead just to get an idea how long they last. I found that the clip works well but I have just been placing the batter pack in the back pocket of my turning smock.
Thanks for looking,
WoodChux
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