C-250 with Duncan Auto Stop

[wvphonoguy]

I bought a C-250 this week. I've since discovered it has a Duncan auto stop mechanism and the correct reproducer with the hole for the auto stop wire. The auto stop looks like new. I tested it using a 6 volt lantern battery. It works fine.

My question is what voltage battery should I use and which wires go to + and - ?

There was an old Stromberg-Carlson dry cell battery in the cabinet. It has two terminals on top, one in the center and the other near the edge. The wire from the coil on the auto stop was connected to the center terminal on the battery. Is the auto stop positive or negative ground?

There are no markings on the battery terminals as to positive or negative and there is no voltage indicated on the battery.

I remember these old dry cell batteries well but can't remember what the voltage was. I am thinking they were 6 volt. Also I can't remember which was the + terminal. Does anyone know?

Thanks for your help, Jerry

[phonogfp]

The original instructions state,

"Connect the free ends of the two wires to the terminals of the battery and stand the battery in the rear left hand corner of the horn compartment."

Isn't that helpful? I guess the polarity doesn't matter - I never had a problem connecting mine. I think you're right about 6 volts. I always used a DC train transformer.

Good luck!

George P.

[maroongem]

I used an Eveready 6v lantern battery in mine. The cloth covered lead from my Reproducer was red so that was the one I hooked to the positive terminal. I don't know if it makes a difference long term on the coil. IIRC, the terminals are marked on the Eveready.

BillF

[wvphonoguy]

Thanks guys! I guess I was making too big a deal out of it. I just didn't want to burn up the coil. The original instructions from George P are pretty straight forward. I think, even I, can handle that one!

Jerry Watson

[pughphonos]

For a few years (2006-2011) I owned a C-250 with a Duncan stop. When I and a neighbor were carrying it up to my then apartment, I could hear something knocking around inside--and later upon inspection found a ca. 1919 battery still in place! The Diamond Discs that came with it were heavy from 1919, so I dated the machine from that year (plus due to the fact that the serial number was very late for a C-250). I never utilized/enabled the stop, however, and when I sold it in 2011 to Ron Haring of Plano, Illinois it still had the battery inside. Like some other Edison attachments (say the 10" and 12" positioning buttons) there wasn't a great deal of practicality in the device, but it WAS neat.

Ralph