Hi All,

Does anyone here have any experience repairing 1960's vintage "Lampette E-6" desk lamps (like the one pictured at: http://www.whitetrashnyc.com/product...task-lamp/896/ )?

I have two of these lamps. One works well, but the other one only lights intermittently because of what surely seems to be a problem in the telescoping arm mechanism. Specifically, it only lights when I apply tension to the first (lowest) moveable telescope segment, and only then when the arm is no more than about 30 degrees from the horizontal. There are a couple of millimeters of "backlash" in that lowest segment of the faulty lamp that isn't evident in the one that works well.

I think I could probably figure out and fix whatever the problem is, if I felt like I could open up the telescoping mechanism without more or less destroying it. In general it doesn't appear that these lamps were designed to be serviced -- their assembly seems to have been something of a "one-way" operation. I've managed to get the base open by prying off the aluminum bezel at the bottom, and I've managed to get the arm disconnected from the plastic case. But that's where I'm stalled.

Anyone been down this road already?

Thanks,

Michael

Firegeek wrote in message
...
Hi All,

Does anyone here have any experience repairing 1960's vintage "Lampette E-6"
desk lamps (like the one pictured at:
http://www.whitetrashnyc.com/product...task-lamp/896/ )?

I have two of these lamps. One works well, but the other one only lights
intermittently because of what surely seems to be a problem in the
telescoping arm mechanism. Specifically, it only lights when I apply tension
to the first (lowest) moveable telescope segment, and only then when the arm
is no more than about 30 degrees from the horizontal. There are a couple of
millimeters of "backlash" in that lowest segment of the faulty lamp that
isn't evident in the one that works well.

I think I could probably figure out and fix whatever the problem is, if I
felt like I could open up the telescoping mechanism without more or less
destroying it. In general it doesn't appear that these lamps were designed
to be serviced -- their assembly seems to have been something of a "one-way"
operation. I've managed to get the base open by prying off the aluminum
bezel at the bottom, and I've managed to get the arm disconnected from the
plastic case. But that's where I'm stalled.

Anyone been down this road already?

Thanks,

Michael


++++

If the base does not contain a transformer, its probably a death trap anyway

The base *does* in fact contain a transformer that steps down from 110vAC to 6.2v, or at any rate, to a voltage that the model 1133 bulb (rated at 6.2v) can handle.

M

Firegeek wrote:

Hi All,

Does anyone here have any experience repairing 1960's vintage "Lampette E-6" desk lamps (like the one pictured at: http://www.whitetrashnyc.com/product...task-lamp/896/ )?

I have two of these lamps. One works well, but the other one only lights intermittently because of what surely seems to be a problem in the telescoping arm mechanism. Specifically, it only lights when I apply tension to the first (lowest) moveable telescope segment, and only then when the arm is no more than about 30 degrees from the horizontal. There are a couple of millimeters of "backlash" in that lowest segment of the faulty lamp that isn't evident in the one that works well.

I think I could probably figure out and fix whatever the problem is, if I felt like I could open up the telescoping mechanism without more or less destroying it. In general it doesn't appear that these lamps were designed to be serviced -- their assembly seems to have been something of a "one-way" operation. I've managed to get the base open by prying off the aluminum bezel at the bottom, and I've managed to get the arm disconnected from the plastic case. But that's where I'm stalled.

Anyone been down this road already?


The lamps I've seen like that are made like a telescoping radio or TV
antenna. They are heavier to support the weight of the lamp, and to
allow a wire to be run to the lamp. The tubing is used for the other
conductor.

They have a small amount of grease on the sliding contacts, near the
top of each section of the tube. The bottom of each additional tube is
flared enough to keep the tubes from wobbling. Other than good contact
clearner, there isn't much you can do, if you don't have the tools and
materials to make a replacment assembly.

Michael A. Terrell wrote in message
m...

Firegeek wrote:

Hi All,

Does anyone here have any experience repairing 1960's vintage "Lampette
E-6" desk lamps (like the one pictured at:
http://www.whitetrashnyc.com/product...task-lamp/896/ )?

I have two of these lamps. One works well, but the other one only lights
intermittently because of what surely seems to be a problem in the
telescoping arm mechanism. Specifically, it only lights when I apply tension
to the first (lowest) moveable telescope segment, and only then when the arm
is no more than about 30 degrees from the horizontal. There are a couple of
millimeters of "backlash" in that lowest segment of the faulty lamp that
isn't evident in the one that works well.

I think I could probably figure out and fix whatever the problem is, if
I felt like I could open up the telescoping mechanism without more or less
destroying it. In general it doesn't appear that these lamps were designed
to be serviced -- their assembly seems to have been something of a "one-way"
operation. I've managed to get the base open by prying off the aluminum
bezel at the bottom, and I've managed to get the arm disconnected from the
plastic case. But that's where I'm stalled.

Anyone been down this road already?


The lamps I've seen like that are made like a telescoping radio or TV
antenna. They are heavier to support the weight of the lamp, and to
allow a wire to be run to the lamp. The tubing is used for the other
conductor.

They have a small amount of grease on the sliding contacts, near the
top of each section of the tube. The bottom of each additional tube is
flared enough to keep the tubes from wobbling. Other than good contact
clearner, there isn't much you can do, if you don't have the tools and
materials to make a replacment assembly.


Agreed. If you cannot access the secondary side of the transformer perhaps
add a mains carrying thermal fuse in contact with transformer if there is
not one, and add a very low current normal fuse in the situation where the
central conductor insulation perishes (often rubber in th e60s) and shorts
the transformer.

On Sunday, August 5, 2012 2:10:29 AM UTC-7, Michael Terrell wrote:
The lamps I've seen like that are made like a telescoping radio or TV
antenna.

Yes, precisely so, although in this case, all but the topmost segment have a square cross-section.

They are heavier to support the weight of the lamp, and to
allow a wire to be run to the lamp. The tubing is used for
the other conductor.

Actually I'm fairly certain that there isn't a "wire" (as such) inside the tubing. The topmost telescope segment, the one with the round cross-section, allows the lamp head to swivel 360 degrees, and there's no tactile or audible evidence of any kind of wire getting wound up or binding inside the tubing.

Certainly there has to be some kind of central conductor, but I think it must be a more mechanically rigid contrivance than just a plain old wire. There *is* an actual wire coming from the transformer secondary that enters the base of the telescope through a grommet that makes up part of the hinge on which the arm rotates to change angle. But I think that wire must be attached to something mechanically stable inside the telescope, because it doesn't wiggle a bit when I either extend or retract the telescope tubing, or change the hinge angle.

They have a small amount of grease on the sliding contacts, near the
top of each section of the tube.

Hmm, "sliding contacts": presumably you mean contacts for the conductor that's internal to the tube, right? If so, is it reasonable to think that the primary problem is that the grease has been displaced enough to cause the intermittent continuity problem?

Other than good contact
cleaner, there isn't much you can do, if you don't have the tools and
materials to make a replacement assembly.

Well, sure... but at the moment the problem is that I can't figure out a way [1] to get at the internals of the telescope mechanism to apply the cleaner. If I can figure out how to do that (or someone here tells me the secret to the puzzle!), then presumably I'll need to apply a new coating of grease after using the contact cleaner. Any recommendation on a good brand of grease to use for this application?

[1] Other than possibly a high-speed cutting disk, which will make reassembly a bitch.

M

On Sunday, August 5, 2012 3:53:03 AM UTC-7, N_Cook wrote:

If you cannot access the secondary side of the transformer perhaps
add a mains carrying thermal fuse in contact with transformer if there is
not one, and add a very low current normal fuse in the situation where the
central conductor insulation perishes (often rubber in the 60s) and shorts
the transformer.

Access to the transformer is not a problem: once the base/case is open, the transformer is fairly easily extracted from it. And in any case, there is a conventional-looking glass-tube fuse between one of the secondary terminals and the outer part of the hinge mechanism, which is in electrical contact with the the telescope tubing. So the shorted secondary case is covered.

If I were to add the thermal fuse as suggested, is there a simple way to estimate the target temperature rating? The formulae I've seen for estimating transformer temperature rise involve a lot of parameters (flux density, core material constant, etc.) whose values I wouldn't know how to obtain.

(FWIW, I've never found the cases on either of these lamps becoming noticeably warm, even after many hours of operation.)

M

Firegeek wrote:

On Sunday, August 5, 2012 3:53:03 AM UTC-7, N_Cook wrote:

If you cannot access the secondary side of the transformer perhaps
add a mains carrying thermal fuse in contact with transformer if there is
not one, and add a very low current normal fuse in the situation where the
central conductor insulation perishes (often rubber in the 60s) and shorts
the transformer.

Access to the transformer is not a problem: once the base/case is open, the transformer is fairly easily extracted from it. And in any case, there is a conventional-looking glass-tube fuse between one of the secondary terminals and the outer part of the hinge mechanism, which is in electrical contact with the the telescope tubing. So the shorted secondary case is covered.

If I were to add the thermal fuse as suggested, is there a simple way to estimate the target temperature rating? The formulae I've seen for estimating transformer temperature rise involve a lot of parameters (flux density, core material constant, etc.) whose values I wouldn't know how to obtain.

(FWIW, I've never found the cases on either of these lamps becoming noticeably warm, even after many hours of operation.)


I see no need to add the thermal fuse. There is probaby one inside
the transformer to prevent a fire.

Firegeek wrote:

On Sunday, August 5, 2012 2:10:29 AM UTC-7, Michael Terrell wrote:
The lamps I've seen like that are made like a telescoping radio or TV
antenna.

Yes, precisely so, although in this case, all but the topmost segment have a square cross-section.

They are heavier to support the weight of the lamp, and to
allow a wire to be run to the lamp. The tubing is used for
the other conductor.

Actually I'm fairly certain that there isn't a "wire" (as such) inside the tubing. The topmost telescope segment, the one with the round cross-section, allows the lamp head to swivel 360 degrees, and there's no tactile or audible evidence of any kind of wire getting wound up or binding inside the tubing.


It wouldn't be 'wound up'. It wuld simply run through the tubing,
like wore in conduit.


Certainly there has to be some kind of central conductor, but I think it must be a more mechanically rigid contrivance than just a plain old wire. There *is* an actual wire coming from the transformer secondary that enters the base of the telescope through a grommet that makes up part of the hinge on which the arm rotates to change angle. But I think that wire must be attached to something mechanically stable inside the telescope, because it doesn't wiggle a bit when I either extend or retract the telescope tubing, or change the hinge angle.


it would make more sense for extra wire to go into the top piece,
rather than into the base.

They have a small amount of grease on the sliding contacts, near the
top of each section of the tube.

Hmm, "sliding contacts": presumably you mean contacts for the conductor that's internal to the tube, right? If so, is it reasonable to think that the primary problem is that the grease has been displaced enough to cause the intermittent continuity problem?


NO, I mean the the return is the metal arm. Test it with a meter,
between the top section and the lowest section and wiggle it to make it
go on & off to see if yoou read a voltage across the tubing. At that
age it's possible the internal wire has hardened and broken, and only
works when in the right postion.


Other than good contact
cleaner, there isn't much you can do, if you don't have the tools and
materials to make a replacement assembly.

Well, sure... but at the moment the problem is that I can't figure out a way [1] to get at the internals of the telescope mechanism to apply the cleaner. If I can figure out how to do that (or someone here tells me the secret to the puzzle!), then presumably I'll need to apply a new coating of grease after using the contact cleaner. Any recommendation on a good brand of grease to use for this application?


Spray it above the opening where they overlap, and let it run down
into the lower tube. You don't need much. If you do, it's beyond
repair.


[1] Other than possibly a high-speed cutting disk, which will make reassembly a bitch.

M

ungli jigal talks about the story of four years life "Engineering Student"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-MweIUKAig


subscribe for more footages.

From the movement of the telescopic section, most likely the wire inside is damaged. It will be a bit of a job to fix this. un-assemble the lamp. Remove the wire inside of the telescopic section. Find an adequate wire replacement, and replace it. If I remember correctly, this will involve some soldering to replace the wire.


Jerry G.



On Sunday, August 5, 2012 2:26:30 AM UTC-4, Firegeek wrote:
Hi All,



Does anyone here have any experience repairing 1960's vintage "Lampette E-6" desk lamps (like the one pictured at: http://www.whitetrashnyc.com/product...task-lamp/896/ )?



I have two of these lamps. One works well, but the other one only lights intermittently because of what surely seems to be a problem in the telescoping arm mechanism. Specifically, it only lights when I apply tension to the first (lowest) moveable telescope segment, and only then when the arm is no more than about 30 degrees from the horizontal. There are a couple of millimeters of "backlash" in that lowest segment of the faulty lamp that isn't evident in the one that works well.



I think I could probably figure out and fix whatever the problem is, if I felt like I could open up the telescoping mechanism without more or less destroying it. In general it doesn't appear that these lamps were designed to be serviced -- their assembly seems to have been something of a "one-way" operation. I've managed to get the base open by prying off the aluminum bezel at the bottom, and I've managed to get the arm disconnected from the plastic case. But that's where I'm stalled.



Anyone been down this road already?



Thanks,



Michael

Firegeek wrote:
Hi All,

Does anyone here have any experience repairing 1960's vintage "Lampette E-6" desk lamps (like the one pictured at: http://www.whitetrashnyc.com/product...task-lamp/896/ )?

I have two of these lamps. One works well, but the other one only lights intermittently because of what surely seems to be a problem in the telescoping arm mechanism. Specifically, it only lights when I apply tension to the first (lowest) moveable telescope segment, and only then when the arm is no more than about 30 degrees from the horizontal. There are a couple of millimeters of "backlash" in that lowest segment of the faulty lamp that isn't evident in the one that works well.

I think I could probably figure out and fix whatever the problem is, if I felt like I could open up the telescoping mechanism without more or less destroying it. In general it doesn't appear that these lamps were designed to be serviced -- their assembly seems to have been something of a "one-way" operation. I've managed to get the base open by prying off the aluminum bezel at the bottom, and I've managed to get the arm disconnected from the plastic case. But that's where I'm stalled.

Anyone been down this road already?

Thanks,

Michael

As I recall that lamp used a single wire inside the tube, with the tube
itself being the second lead. So if the tube is not making a good
electrical connection at the hinges it won't work reliably.

Pretty sure there is a transformer in the base and a 12or 24V bayonet
base lamp. These things were sold in Canada and CSA regulations would
not allow for a hot chassis lamp!

John :-#)#
--
(Please post followups or tech enquiries to the newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9
Call (604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

John Robertson wrote:

Firegeek wrote:
Hi All,

Does anyone here have any experience repairing 1960's vintage "Lampette E-6" desk lamps (like the one pictured at: http://www.whitetrashnyc.com/product...task-lamp/896/ )?

I have two of these lamps. One works well, but the other one only lights intermittently because of what surely seems to be a problem in the telescoping arm mechanism. Specifically, it only lights when I apply tension to the first (lowest) moveable telescope segment, and only then when the arm is no more than about 30 degrees from the horizontal. There are a couple of millimeters of "backlash" in that lowest segment of the faulty lamp that isn't evident in the one that works well.

I think I could probably figure out and fix whatever the problem is, if I felt like I could open up the telescoping mechanism without more or less destroying it. In general it doesn't appear that these lamps were designed to be serviced -- their assembly seems to have been something of a "one-way" operation. I've managed to get the base open by prying off the aluminum bezel at the bottom, and I've managed to get the arm disconnected from the plastic case. But that's where I'm stalled.

Anyone been down this road already?

Thanks,

Michael

As I recall that lamp used a single wire inside the tube, with the tube
itself being the second lead. So if the tube is not making a good
electrical connection at the hinges it won't work reliably.

Pretty sure there is a transformer in the base and a 12or 24V bayonet
base lamp. These things were sold in Canada and CSA regulations would
not allow for a hot chassis lamp!


This is a three month old thread.