Reticle illumination

[Lauritz]

Does anybody know what Voltage the reticle illumination system is?
( for the 80 degree 10x80 bino)

The bulb is ancient and maybe even ww2 era, metal surface oxidized and ( if any) script unreadable.
The filament is intact though!
It would be good to know the Voltage, maybe even Wattage, of the bulb before the screwdriver appears..

I need to disassemble the system and remove oxidation on the various contact areas.

[Sgt Bilko]

I'm not sure but you could stick a battery against it and work it out (trying lowest power first).

I did this with my P61 "Black Widow" nightfighter binocular sight and the original wartime Mazda bulb lit up first time (9 volts I think).

For some reason, the bulb lighting up the reticle gave me a great sense of joy....

[me6_130]

Most batteries were 4,5 Volts. See the following link. You've got plenty info about reticle lamps and batteries there:

https://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/for...r-reticle-lamp

Carles

[Lauritz]

Fantastic, super! Many thanks!
lots of excellent info!
I thought the bulb was 1.5 V!
I will today try to find batteries of that size. Have not seen that size for decades though.

The battery size or type seems to be called 3336 ( or 3R12)
That explains the position of the + and - inside the battery box!

Sgt Bilco, I am too afraid to burn the bulb. Putting a lower voltage will light it up, but faintly. Yes, it gives you a sense of great satisfaction to make old stuff functional again!

I might try to find a new bulb too, it would be a shame to damage the old one.
If I can find one.
Not easy to live on an small island!

[Lauritz]

Well, no bulbs of this voltage and thread, or batteries of this sort, on island. As expected, so not disappointing really.
As usual I will make FedEx and customs happy.

[Lauritz]

Me6_130;
do you still have any newly made ’covers’ for the flat 4.5V Battery for sale?
It looks like I need to import some adapting ‘cases’ to convert AA batteries to this 3r12 size, and it would be nice to visually make them look ‘correct’!
I need 3 pieces

[me6_130]

Me6_130;
do you still have any newly made ’covers’ for the flat 4.5V Battery for sale?
It looks like I need to import some adapting ‘cases’ to convert AA batteries to this 3r12 size, and it would be nice to visually make them look ‘correct’!
I need 3 pieces

Hello,

I found mail doesn't let me send batteries abroad so I developed the covers. I don't have any right now but I can make some for you, just PM me and let's talk about it.

Carles

[me6_130]

Hello,

You can find some battery adapters at Ebay:

https://www.ebay.de/itm/Batterie-Box...53.m1438.l2649

Perhaps there are some cheaper, or in black. Hope it helps.

BTW, some of my bulbs are 3,5v and some are 4,8v.


Carles