VERY OLD ELECTRICAL ITEMS PART 2 Continued from part 1
9. Partially concealed wiring In olden days forceiling fan, hook was provided while casting RCC roof in new buildings. Hookwas provided for children cradle also. Extending wiring to the ceiling fan wasdone using PVC conduit pipe fixed using clamps to the roof… However, it was a frequent sight in manyhomes the PVC pipe came out from roof fixing near fan end. So it was decided toput PVC pipe while casting RCC and reach the hook. Wires to the fan were drawnthrough the pipe using puller. On the wall wiring for fan was external. Oftenthe electrician remindedthe contractor to provide the PVC pipe. 10 Fan regulators With the provisionof fans in the hall and bed room, to accommodate the regulator switch boxesbecame larger. Above the row of switches the fan regulator was fixed. The firstgeneration fans had verybig regulator. In the second generation it became smaller than theoriginal one. On top and bottom of regulator ventilator holes were provided. However the fibre body of the regulator oftencould not with stand the heat generated in the regulator resistance unit; often theventilation became brittle and broke. A new regulator was purchased andreplaced. Now the regulator unit has become small, it is accommodated next tofan switch in the switch panel. Cooler is provided in newregulators. When we purchasenew fans, there is an option whether regulator is required or not. If not required,it was sold to those who wanted only new regulators and reduction is given inthe cost of fan. Fan should not berun continuously in the same regulator position. The ball bearings rub eachother in the same position and produce heat in fan. At least for a few minutes,it should be run at different speeds or switched off for sufficient time. 10a Hairpin comb and cycle key On the top of theswitch box it was common to see hairpins, comb, and cycle key on those days. 11. Bed switch Before the introductionof shelf near cot, using spare bulb point and adapter a temporary light was extended nearbed to read books before sleep. A bed switch was provided at hand’s reach which was used toswitch on/off supply to the light. On Google search I found anchor bed switchis still available in fibre body for Rs. 752-00(!!!). On those days we couldget it for Rs 5-00 or so. While undergoing JE training, 3 trainees shared a room in hostel;each had provision of bed switch to read books lying in the bed withoutdisturbing others. 12. Tube lights Initially tubelights were suspended from roof, the tube fitting had a reflector. The tubelight comprised of 1) a fluorescent tube of 4 feet, fitted to a holder. 2) Achoke 3) a starter. After a time reflector use was reduced. Gradually starterdisappeared by circuit modifications. Later tube light position changed to wall. The first change was thinnertubes. Now LED tubes have come which has a 4 feet fibre fitting and LED tube inan enclosure. The technician job is simply fixing two holders, insert thefitting, and give connection. The earlier chokeversion is gradually getting replaced. On aging, ends of the tube light blackened,flickered or suddenly did no burn. In earlier tubes yellow colour alsoappeared. Now also spare tubes and chokes are available in market. Two feettube lights and fittings are also available in market. 12a. “Tube light” usage A person not ableto immediately understand something is often called Tube light. 13. Motor for lifting water. Most probably the firstintroduction electrical gadget might be motor for lifting water. High currentis required to lift water. Earliest version of switch provided was 15 Amps anchor switch.It was yellow in colour, bulky and required a separate switch box. Since morecurrent was required-3 phase supply became common to homes. Now such big switchis obsolete. 14. Electric iron, refrigerator and mixer. With the provisionof 3 phase supply the use of above items became common in middle class homesalso. Though the power consumption was notvery high considering each of them, for the above facilities 3 phase supply wasdesired by EB sincethey work out total points drawing current. For three phasesupply, Cut-outs and meter are provided in EB meterboard and control switches are provided separately. Further distribution was donein an inner distribution board. The three phase supply is mostly available toall homes in Chennai, with bore-well and motor. Rotary switches tochange the load from one phase to another are available in the innerdistribution board. Earliest electricirons had no bimetallic switch to control heat. We had to switch ON and OFFsupply. Now rotary switch in electric iron has become standard. 14a. Bulbs with different body colours Small size bulbswith different colours are available to provide as night lamps in sit-outs etc.Police mostly insists to use such lamps in sit-out, portico etc. throughout thenight. These bulbs are 15 watts or 10 watts though called zero watt bulbs. 15. White colour bulbs Instead of clearbulbs, white colour bulbs also appeared. Other than pleasing colour I don’t thinkit had any more advantage. Now it has also become mostly obsolete. 16 CFL CFL. About 6-7 yearsback, most preferred instead of bulbs CFL in different wattages. Portico CFL,Bath rooms CFL. Compound wall CFL. Abouta year back or so, production of CFL stopped, due to poisonous mercury contentin it. So instead LED bulbs have appeared with warranty of one year. PracticallyCFL and ordinary bulbs are not available in electrical shops now. 17 Street light lamps Most streetlightlamps are sodium vapour or mercury vapour lamps. If we have to see a bulb in astreetlight post, we have to see some old Malayalam or Tamil film of 1955’s. I will continue -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/2027793292.1137340.1643027688022%40mail.yahoo.com.
