Flat 3 flex

The older Anglepoise I had had twisted 3-wire flex with the earth cut short and attached at the base and only the L & N wires fed up to the lampholder through the tubes.

Newer Anglepoise had twin oval sheathed flex taken all the way through the tubes to a double-insulated lampholder.

All the 3c flex I can find is round, all the twin flex I can find is oval.

If it's the older style Anglepoise then use twisted triple flex eg

Cut the earth short, put some heatshrink on it to stop the flex unravelling , take the earth to a crimped lug (with another bit of heatshrink - the ori ginal used rubber sleeves but they're probably more trouble than worth unle ss you have a sleeve fitting pliers) and bolt the lug to the frame.

Owain

Wonder if they really cut the lengths to an accuracy of 30 microns?

Plait or braid three wires, it's easy to do, flatish and can be attractive...

Lay the three wires side by side with the ends knotted and clamped somewhere. Take the left one and put it over and between the other two, then take the right one and put it over and between the other two, then repeat.

Cheers

not double insulated.

As wasn't the original.

Live dangerously!

Cheers

You would either need to use double insulated wires, or apply an overall insulating sheath once braided.

Real originals had 3 cotton covered wires plaited together. Two went up the inside of the arm and the tird was eathed at then point of entry/

twisted not plaited iirc

NT

I originally typed twisted, but decided that was not right. if it was just twisted it could have unravelled.

At least they state that cables are sent in continuous lengths, A presenter on our local radio last week was mentioned her hubby had ordered x metres of cable , 1 metre turned up with a note that the rest would follow later when it was back in stock.

G.Harman

not so. I've got one of them, and am familiar with those oldschool flex ass embly methods.

NT

Yes , that's a good suggestion, thanks. The original Anglepoise had the Earth attached at the bottom pivot but I ran it all the way through when I used standard 3-core. The desk lamp (AP on steroids, and no base, just a clamp, could have the same system. I am a bit worried about abrasion on the desk/bench lamp as I move it around quite a lot.

Yes - making the overall diameter too big for the tubes. 3-core is smaller!

Indeed, the original type of flex is the only sort that's going to fit. RCDs mitigate the slight risk of single insulated flex.

NT

Convert it to 12V LED?

Could have been worse.

He could have ordered an extension lead, and got the plug attached to one metre in the first package, with the socket end to follow.

Owain

To be pedantic - you can't plait two wires. Perhaps plaited up to the point of earthing, then the remaining two wires went up the arm probably twisted. I would be a bit worried that whatever part was earthed, the remaining parts might not be, owing to bad contact between them.

I'd suspect just straight up with no twisting, thinking of the size of the arm

However they sold well and I never heard of an accident.

Hence if you can fit the 3rd wire up the arm to earth at the bulbholder, do , but it's probably not doable. RCDs have since mostly provided the safety cover that was expected of things like double insulation & low resistance e arthing, so it's less of an issue than it once was. Ultimately it's 1930s e lectrics, it is what it is, they're not always upgradable to modern standar ds.

NT