Absorbent medium was Fuller’s Earth to make it a non-spill “damp” wet battery 😂
They had a small range - the MC7/12 came in basic style with side terminals, the MC7/12T, with a ‘T’ cover over the side terminals, and the MC7/12L which had wires emerging from the basic rectangular battery unit.
MC5/9 was fitted as standard to BSA D1/3 Bantam, C10L and Ariel Colt. Varley was a competitor in motorcycle batteries to the likes of Lucas and Exide, but their batteries became a bit of a marketing story as they were fitted to Fairey Delta 2 (FD2) the British supersonic research aircraft, the first aircraft to exceed 1,000 mph in level flight, setting a world speed record of 1,132 mph on March 10, 1956.
I’ve been looking for an MC5/9 for years if anyone has one on a garage shelf gathering dust…
I have one of the excellent repro batteries but I just have the wires coming out of the holes at the side. Should there be a sought of nut and bolt in the holes to attach the wires on?
Arnaud makes a great product...In fact I have one of his cases...However, his erratic and unpredictable production makes it very difficult when planning to commit resources to reproducing parts for what is a very small market.....Ian
Yes Ian, it's such a shame. But he's had all sorts of problems over the years. I received 6 batteries recently after a 2 year wait (4 of which went to guys who have waited patiently). The Nife batteries that were produced by Arnaud and Jan as a joint project are absolutely perfect in all their detail and construction.....I doubt we'll ever see them again. Ron
Arnaud made it almost right.
Arnaud made hexagonal nuts for the attachement of the wires but that was not the original configuration and I remade them.
According the original nut drawing these were made as follows. (1935 drawing is in mm!)
In words, 7 mm total height, 4mm high with 12 mm diameter and the remaining 3 mm, 13mm diameter with cross wise knurling.
Overall, the combination of Jan and Arnaud definitly made the best possible reconstruction in the world.
Possibly the only production run due to the much increased cost and low series.
For anyone wanting to know more about the NiFe, the brand name for what is actually a Nickel Cadmium battery, see https://www.wdnorton.nl/Electrical_equipment_page/Article%20Lucas%20C105%20(issue%20003)%20.pdf.
Hi Rob. I guess Arnaud didn't have that information, as the one he copied had Bakelite knobs. I'll make a drawing from your dimensions and ask my friend if he'll make me some. (6 in total)
Ron,
Arnaud also has the original drawing I found in Sweden. I do not know why he chose to go the easy way.
The picture you add is from a post-war NiFe as I mentioned in my article.
That has plastic nuts with a brass insert. The pre-war version had full brass nuts.
The post-war cover also has 3 stiffening ribs on the inside, the pre-war version does not have those.
