I'm wanting to revive a vintage Taylor-Hobson Talyvel inclinometer:

http://www.truetex.com/talyvel.jpg

This specimen calls for what appears to be a pair of absent
"Mallory battery SKB-830" units for power, which comes up unknown on a Web
search. From the enclosure and connections it looks like these might have
each been a cylinder about the size of two C cells in series with snap tabs
similar to a 9-volt battery but larger. The battery test meter appears to
be testing for about 6 volts. Maybe 5.4 volts if it was four mercury cells
at 1.35 volts each.

Any ideas on what this battery might have been? All I can determine is
that the Mallory SKB batteries were the mercury type developed during WWII
(http://www.duracell.com/procell/about/background.asp).

Richard J Kinch wrote:
I'm wanting to revive a vintage Taylor-Hobson Talyvel inclinometer:

http://www.truetex.com/talyvel.jpg

This specimen calls for what appears to be a pair of absent
"Mallory battery SKB-830" units for power, which comes up unknown on a Web
search. From the enclosure and connections it looks like these might have
each been a cylinder about the size of two C cells in series with snap tabs
similar to a 9-volt battery but larger. The battery test meter appears to
be testing for about 6 volts. Maybe 5.4 volts if it was four mercury cells
at 1.35 volts each.

Any ideas on what this battery might have been? All I can determine is
that the Mallory SKB batteries were the mercury type developed during WWII
(http://www.duracell.com/procell/about/background.asp).
What model Talyvel? Is it the same as the picture you linked to? I
have a Talyvel 3 and it uses a pair of custom packs that were full of
Ni-Cd cells, with a snap identical to 9 V radio batteries. They worked
for a while, then I had to rebuild the packs with new cells. I think my
unit runs on roughly + and - 9 V and a pair of standard 9 V radio
batteries will run it for an hour or two.

I found a few relevant items :
http://www.spectrum-metrology.co.uk/newstal.htm

But, page 59 of this one is what you are really looking for !
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/cgi-wra...-tn-82-001.pdf

You may want to build packs out of 5 or 6 Ni-Cd cells to replace the
original. AA cells could probably be strapped in bundles to fit the
available space. If you can't get a good fit, you might end up with an
outboard box. I buy tabbed cells from Digi-Key to make retrofit batteries.

Jon

Richard J Kinch wrote:
I'm wanting to revive a vintage Taylor-Hobson Talyvel inclinometer:

http://www.truetex.com/talyvel.jpg

This specimen calls for what appears to be a pair of absent
"Mallory battery SKB-830" units for power, which comes up unknown on a Web
search. From the enclosure and connections it looks like these might have
each been a cylinder about the size of two C cells in series with snap tabs
similar to a 9-volt battery but larger. The battery test meter appears to
be testing for about 6 volts. Maybe 5.4 volts if it was four mercury cells
at 1.35 volts each.

Any ideas on what this battery might have been? All I can determine is
that the Mallory SKB batteries were the mercury type developed during WWII
(http://www.duracell.com/procell/about/background.asp).

Possibly an old Allied catalog? They are
available on ebay, but I couldn't find a
scanned one on the web.

Jon Elson writes:

What model Talyvel? Is it the same as the picture you linked to?

Yes, that's my photo of the actual unit:

http://www.truetex.com/talyvel.jpg

I did manage to power it up with 9 to 10 volts DC based on the battery
meter test. Thanks for the advice.

The meter unit seems to be faulty as it makes an audible ticking sound
at about 4 ticks/second and the analog meter needle wiggles a bit with
each tick, although it does seem to otherwise respond to tilting the
sensor unit. Looking at the circuit board inside it appears to date from
the late 1960s based on the date codes on on a transistor, and I imagine
the several electrolytic capacitors must be far beyond their expected
life. If the sensor is the expensive part, then a new meter unit may be
just the thing.

In article ,
Richard J Kinch wrote:

I'm wanting to revive a vintage Taylor-Hobson Talyvel inclinometer:

http://www.truetex.com/talyvel.jpg

This specimen calls for what appears to be a pair of absent
"Mallory battery SKB-830" units for power, which comes up unknown on a Web
search. From the enclosure and connections it looks like these might have
each been a cylinder about the size of two C cells in series with snap tabs
similar to a 9-volt battery but larger. The battery test meter appears to
be testing for about 6 volts. Maybe 5.4 volts if it was four mercury cells
at 1.35 volts each.

Any ideas on what this battery might have been? All I can determine is
that the Mallory SKB batteries were the mercury type developed during WWII
(http://www.duracell.com/procell/about/background.asp).

The company that made the Talvel still exists, so I would ask them.

Joe Gwinn

On 2009-09-23, Richard J Kinch wrote:
I'm wanting to revive a vintage Taylor-Hobson Talyvel inclinometer:

http://www.truetex.com/talyvel.jpg

This specimen calls for what appears to be a pair of absent
"Mallory battery SKB-830" units for power, which comes up unknown on a Web
search. From the enclosure and connections it looks like these might have
each been a cylinder about the size of two C cells in series with snap tabs
similar to a 9-volt battery but larger. The battery test meter appears to
be testing for about 6 volts. Maybe 5.4 volts if it was four mercury cells
at 1.35 volts each.

Any ideas on what this battery might have been? All I can determine is
that the Mallory SKB batteries were the mercury type developed during WWII
(http://www.duracell.com/procell/about/background.asp).

In that case -- give up on finding any (they are now made of
unobtanium), and work on making a substitute. If you need to duplicate
the voltage from the mercury cells, you will probably want to add some
diodes in series to drop the voltage to the right range.

Good Luck,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Richard J Kinch wrote:

I'm wanting to revive a vintage Taylor-Hobson Talyvel inclinometer:

http://www.truetex.com/talyvel.jpg

This specimen calls for what appears to be a pair of absent
"Mallory battery SKB-830" units for power, which comes up unknown on a Web
search. From the enclosure and connections it looks like these might have
each been a cylinder about the size of two C cells in series with snap tabs
similar to a 9-volt battery but larger. The battery test meter appears to
be testing for about 6 volts. Maybe 5.4 volts if it was four mercury cells
at 1.35 volts each.

Any ideas on what this battery might have been? All I can determine is
that the Mallory SKB batteries were the mercury type developed during WWII
(http://www.duracell.com/procell/about/background.asp).



Do you know the 'NEDA type'? Ask on news:rec.antiques.radio+phono
where they collect & restore antique electronics. Some on the group buy
out old radio & TV shops, and have extensive libraries of old catalogs &
databooks. I have been trying to get them to scan old battery data so I
can compile it into a web page, and for Wikipedia.


--
You can't have a sense of humor, if you have no sense!

Thanks for all the comments.

As I explained elsewhere in this thread, the Mallory battery SKB-830 in a
pair must have produced about 9 or 10 volts, so I am thinking they were
each a stack of four mercury cells at 1.35 volts each, making 5.4 volts for
an SKB-830 battery and 10.8 volts for the pair. Applying that voltage
would deflect the battery-test meter into the proper range and operate the
unit, as would a standard 9-volt battery.

As I also explained in another post, the meter unit seems to be faulty. I
did inquire from the good folks at http://www.spectrum-metrology.co.uk/
regarding their repair and upgrade services, and they would be happy to
upgrade this Talyvel 1 to a Talyvel 5 ... for USD $5600. Ouch! And that's
not counting any needed repairs.

My favourite 1960's kit:

HP signal generator (or almost anything else they made)

That big 100 MHz Tektronix valve scope on the tilted trolley

The Talysurf 3

"Richard J Kinch" wrote in message
. ..
Thanks for all the comments.

As I explained elsewhere in this thread, the Mallory battery SKB-830 in a
pair must have produced about 9 or 10 volts, so I am thinking they were
each a stack of four mercury cells at 1.35 volts each, making 5.4 volts
for
an SKB-830 battery and 10.8 volts for the pair. Applying that voltage
would deflect the battery-test meter into the proper range and operate the
unit, as would a standard 9-volt battery.

As I also explained in another post, the meter unit seems to be faulty. I
did inquire from the good folks at http://www.spectrum-metrology.co.uk/
regarding their repair and upgrade services, and they would be happy to
upgrade this Talyvel 1 to a Talyvel 5 ... for USD $5600. Ouch! And
that's
not counting any needed repairs.

I am a bit suspicous of that battery number. I just looked in my 700 page
Eveready battery manual dated 1968. The Mallory mercury batteries begin
with a TR (at least the ones that cross to an Eveready number in this book),
and there were no SKB batteries, nor anything wtih "830" in the number - I
did find a RM630, which crosses to Eveready E630, that's a 1.4V battery.
I have some surplus mercury cells here, they are Duracell RM12R (1.35 V).

I show listings for 6.75, 9.45, 10.8, 9.8, 8.4, 11.2 and some other
voltages so I don't know that you can assume 10.8V

Richard J Kinch writes:

As I explained elsewhere in this thread, the Mallory battery SKB-830
in a pair must have produced about 9 or 10 volts, so I am thinking
they were each a stack of four mercury cells at 1.35 volts each,
making 5.4 volts for an SKB-830 battery and 10.8 volts for the pair.
Applying that voltage would deflect the battery-test meter into the
proper range and operate the unit, as would a standard 9-volt battery.

Replying to my own thread, some months later I have been sent a photo
showing a Talyvel being powered by a pair of Mallory Duracell 400830 6.75V
batteries in the holder. These were apparently each a stack of 1.35V
mercury cells. So we have a nominal total voltage of 13.5V at a low drain,
which might be replaced better today with 8 or 9 ordinary alkaline cells,
or perhaps a pair of 6V camera batteries, using a battery holder with
snaps. Polarity of the snaps is as on a standard 9V battery (male =
positive), although the snaps are a larger size.

On Jan 13, 10:09*am, Richard J Kinch wrote:
Richard J Kinch writes:
As I explained elsewhere in this thread, the Mallory battery SKB-830
in a pair must have produced about 9 or 10 volts, so I am thinking
they were each a stack of four mercury cells at 1.35 volts each,
making 5.4 volts for an SKB-830 battery and 10.8 volts for the pair.
Applying that voltage would deflect the battery-test meter into the
proper range and operate the unit, as would a standard 9-volt battery.

Replying to my own thread, some months later I have been sent a photo
showing a Talyvel being powered by a pair of Mallory Duracell 400830 6.75V
batteries in the holder. *These were apparently each a stack of 1.35V
mercury cells. *So we have a nominal total voltage of 13.5V at a low drain,
which might be replaced better today with 8 or 9 ordinary alkaline cells,
or perhaps a pair of 6V camera batteries, using a battery holder with
snaps. *Polarity of the snaps is as on a standard 9V battery (male =
positive), although the snaps are a larger size.

A pair of 123 batteries might work, assuming they weren't using the
mercury cells as both voltage reference and power source. The snaps
used to be standard hardware, I can remember getting some for a 6v
battery holder that used 4 D batteries from the local electronics and
surplus store. If you need exactly the original voltage, you're going
to be stuck making a small inverter/switcher PS. Much easier these
days, there's any number of surface-mount components to do exactly
that in a small volume. I've even gotten small kits to put out 9-12v
from a 1.5v source. A little rewinding/tweaking should get the
voltage level you're looking for.

Stan

wrote:

On Jan 13, 10:09 am, Richard J Kinch wrote:
Richard J Kinch writes:
As I explained elsewhere in this thread, the Mallory battery SKB-830
in a pair must have produced about 9 or 10 volts, so I am thinking
they were each a stack of four mercury cells at 1.35 volts each,
making 5.4 volts for an SKB-830 battery and 10.8 volts for the pair.
Applying that voltage would deflect the battery-test meter into the
proper range and operate the unit, as would a standard 9-volt battery.

Replying to my own thread, some months later I have been sent a photo
showing a Talyvel being powered by a pair of Mallory Duracell 400830 6.75V
batteries in the holder. These were apparently each a stack of 1.35V
mercury cells. So we have a nominal total voltage of 13.5V at a low drain,
which might be replaced better today with 8 or 9 ordinary alkaline cells,
or perhaps a pair of 6V camera batteries, using a battery holder with
snaps. Polarity of the snaps is as on a standard 9V battery (male =
positive), although the snaps are a larger size.

A pair of 123 batteries might work, assuming they weren't using the
mercury cells as both voltage reference and power source. The snaps
used to be standard hardware, I can remember getting some for a 6v
battery holder that used 4 D batteries from the local electronics and
surplus store. If you need exactly the original voltage, you're going
to be stuck making a small inverter/switcher PS. Much easier these
days, there's any number of surface-mount components to do exactly
that in a small volume. I've even gotten small kits to put out 9-12v
from a 1.5v source. A little rewinding/tweaking should get the
voltage level you're looking for.

Stan


Keystone Electronics still makes some battery snaps. They are
availible through Mouser.

http://www.keyelco.com/


--
Greed is the root of all eBay.

In article ,
Richard J Kinch wrote:

Richard J Kinch writes:

As I explained elsewhere in this thread, the Mallory battery SKB-830
in a pair must have produced about 9 or 10 volts, so I am thinking
they were each a stack of four mercury cells at 1.35 volts each,
making 5.4 volts for an SKB-830 battery and 10.8 volts for the pair.
Applying that voltage would deflect the battery-test meter into the
proper range and operate the unit, as would a standard 9-volt battery.

Replying to my own thread, some months later I have been sent a photo
showing a Talyvel being powered by a pair of Mallory Duracell 400830 6.75V
batteries in the holder. These were apparently each a stack of 1.35V
mercury cells. So we have a nominal total voltage of 13.5V at a low drain,
which might be replaced better today with 8 or 9 ordinary alkaline cells,
or perhaps a pair of 6V camera batteries, using a battery holder with
snaps. Polarity of the snaps is as on a standard 9V battery (male =
positive), although the snaps are a larger size.

If they used those expensive mercury batteries, constant voltage was
probably required. The best modern alternative is silver oxide
batteries. Or alkaline batteries and a small voltage regulator. Or a
regulated wallwart.

Joe Gwinn

Here the battery from my device
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AX...MmdidzJ6&hl=ru

replying to Bill Noble, greg wrote:
Do you still have RM12R batteries? I sure need a couple.

--
for full context, visit https://www.polytechforum.com/metalw...er-200568-.htm