Help With Andale Illuminated Font

[muso]

Hi all,

I just aquired an Andale "Kalgoorlie" gold plated 3-tap font, flooded AND illuminated decals (neither of these mentioned in the ad! - bonus :icon_drool2: ).
I haven't been able to find much info at all regarding the lights...Andale's website sells a 12V 4A transformer and a fuse, and that's all I can find out. I'm sure that transformer would be expensive, so would rather buy a $15 one off eBay and convert the terminals. Anyone know which spade terminal is positive?
The bottom has male/female spade terminals to connect to the transformer which look in good condition. To top cap of the font conceals red & black wires, but it's impossible to pull the inner section here with the seal out, as the wire lines seem extremely firm.

Anyone have suggestions how to go about testing the illumination?

It appears that the decals are stuck with a contact type adhesive. Would it be OK to gently pry them off? (I'm assuming the globes/LEDs/whatever are directly accessible from there).
Cheers,

Tim

 

[real_beer]

Hi all,

I just aquired an Andale "Kalgoorlie" gold plated 3-tap font, flooded AND illuminated decals (neither of these mentioned in the ad! - bonus :icon_drool2: ).
I haven't been able to find much info at all regarding the lights...Andale's website sells a 12V 4A transformer and a fuse, and that's all I can find out. I'm sure that transformer would be expensive, so would rather buy a $15 one off eBay and convert the terminals. Anyone know which spade terminal is positive?
The bottom has male/female spade terminals to connect to the transformer which look in good condition. To top cap of the font conceals red & black wires, but it's impossible to pull the inner section here with the seal out, as the wire lines seem extremely firm.

Anyone have suggestions how to go about testing the illumination?

It appears that the decals are stuck with a contact type adhesive. Would it be OK to gently pry them off? (I'm assuming the globes/LEDs/whatever are directly accessible from there).
Cheers,

Tim

Hi Tim

I'm only responding to give a bit of input as none of the usual guys have at this point, their probably busy brewing at the moment and you'll end up with lots of info by the end of the day.
I'd say the male terminal on the left is the positive one but I don't think it matters. If you were powering an electric motor with that setup and connected it wrongly the motor would run backwards to how it should normally run. So your lights should still work. I would now double check this assumption with others (I wouldn't really I'd just plug it in and try it :lol: , but you have to say that to other people) Don't know about the decals but if your going to take them off to replace them with something else you've got nothing to lose, if you just want to get at the bulbs then get more advice. Don't overlook asking the cellarman at your local for advice on commercial equipment.

It's a nice looking piece of kit, I've got a 4 tap flooded font I was going to put on my chest freezer kegerator project but the weight issue with the hinges, and space issues opening the lid killed that idea. Boy they sure are heavy.

:icon_cheers:

 

[davewaldo]

I'm also not qualified to answer as I'm not a sparkie, but I would say the possitive terminal is the female one. This way the wire carrying the current is most insulated.... but I guess once they are both plugged in they will both be well insulated... so basically I'm saying I'm not sure.

But I wouldn't just plug in and see as it could well blow the system if its running LEDs. If you can pull it apart and it just has normal light bulbs then I can't see how connecting incorrectly would cause a major problem.

As far as power suply goes... If you have an old crappy computer sitting around, you can remove the power supply from it. They give a wonderful clean 12v output.

Good luck, and congrats on grabbing a nice bit of kit

 

[zagadka]

If the light in each decal is just a direct wired standard globe - polarity doesn't matter.

If there is any other gear in the font that is also run off that power, for example temp readouts or something, then you would need to be cautious.

To test, pull the globes out and check the resistance across the two spade terminals and you'll see if there is any other stuff connected. If you get open circuit then there is a good chance that it's just the globes connected.

There's probably a good reason why they've used one male and one female spade though...


EDIT:
4A is a bit high for 3 little bud lights isn't it - what type of globes are in it?

 

[lefty2446]

Hi all,

I just aquired an Andale "Kalgoorlie" gold plated 3-tap font, flooded AND illuminated decals (neither of these mentioned in the ad! - bonus :icon_drool2: ).
I haven't been able to find much info at all regarding the lights...Andale's website sells a 12V 4A transformer and a fuse, and that's all I can find out. I'm sure that transformer would be expensive, so would rather buy a $15 one off eBay and convert the terminals. Anyone know which spade terminal is positive?
The bottom has male/female spade terminals to connect to the transformer which look in good condition. To top cap of the font conceals red & black wires, but it's impossible to pull the inner section here with the seal out, as the wire lines seem extremely firm.

Anyone have suggestions how to go about testing the illumination?

It appears that the decals are stuck with a contact type adhesive. Would it be OK to gently pry them off? (I'm assuming the globes/LEDs/whatever are directly accessible from there).
Cheers,

Tim

I work in the hospitality beer reticulation field, but I must admit that I haven't pulled apart one of these founts. WRT the decals you are right that you can just pry them off. Mostly these units will run of a plugpack under the bar.

Adrian

 

[Daniel.lear]

IMO the MALE one will be positive. that way your supply (transformer/rectifier) deosn't have a bare conductor(assuming DC system). But as previously mentiones if the lights are standard bulb/lamps or the system is AC then it wont matter. However if they are LED's it will. Chances are it will be 50/50, if it doesn't work just swap terminals.

Leary

 

[real_beer]

IMO the MALE one will be positive.

Leary

Hi Tim

+1 with Leary.

It's illegal to wire up any extension lead with the prongs exposed as a power source. With this in mind it seems silly to run against the grain and make the power from a transformer feed through an exposed to the touch terminal. If you haven't any other wires coming out of the font or access for some to be fitted it's probable that the power is just for the lights and the transformer is a 4 amp model because it's used in a commercial situation and needs to be reliable.

:icon_cheers:

 

[MHB]

The polarity doesn't matter as the lights are just straight resistive, what you thought was a fuse when you read the Andale website is in fact a "Fuse Light" it's a light bulb that looks just like an old style glass cased fuse out of a car.

By convention you don't have an active exposed, so the Male terminal on the font would go into the + terminal, as the lead from the transformer would then be Female and would have the plastic insulation covering all but the slot in front where the Male terminal inserts, saves shorting things out when you drop a wire.

The lenses are available from Andale, you can sometimes prise out the old ones clean off the decal then make your own (I use clear printable label material, then tell the printer I'm printing a T-Shirt transfer, so it prints a mirror image) the lenses are then usually stuck in with some silicone, how easy it is to get the lens out depends on how generous the last guy was with the silicone.

If you stuff the lens holder you can buy them too.

MHB

 

[krusty_oz]

The Andale transformer is just a 12V downlight transformer, can get them cheap at hardware (or trash n treasure type markets) . If you have an old computer modem, speakers or printer around the house you may find it has a power supply voltage suitable for the job (particularly if your tempted to do an LED conversion).

If you want to test it out the globes you could try using a battery or old plug pack.

 

[muso]

Thanks for your help everyone. I managed to get the dark ale decal off OK (actually stuck over a Carlton Mid...hehe good coverup) - the other two will need a bit more work. There are 2 fuse globes behind each decal, and one had definitely blown. It appears as though they are wired in parallel (you'd hope so, otherwise they'd be like Christmas lights where the whole row goes when 1 globe dies).
I made a spade to male DC convertor and hooked up to a monitor power pack I had, but nothing came on. Will be getting my electrical engineer brother the come around for some brews and check everything.
On the plus side, I recieved and assembled my FridgeMate yesterday to hook up to my new 210L chest freezer and works a treat. Now I have to start on the bar to attach the font to!

Cheers,

Tim

 

[real_beer]

Thanks for your help everyone. I managed to get the dark ale decal off OK (actually stuck over a Carlton Mid...hehe good coverup) - the other two will need a bit more work. There are 2 fuse globes behind each decal, and one had definitely blown. It appears as though they are wired in parallel (you'd hope so, otherwise they'd be like Christmas lights where the whole row goes when 1 globe dies).
I made a spade to male DC convertor and hooked up to a monitor power pack I had, but nothing came on. Will be getting my electrical engineer brother the come around for some brews and check everything.
On the plus side, I recieved and assembled my FridgeMate yesterday to hook up to my new 210L chest freezer and works a treat. Now I have to start on the bar to attach the font to!

Cheers,

Tim

Hi Tim
Is the power pack your using rated to 4 amps. If its not it will be trying to light up 5 globes ( 6 if you replaced the blown one) but not have enough power to light up the elements).

Cheap test meters are another good piece of kit to have on hand for situations like this.

cheers