Description

Box, Control: Switching unit box. The unit ran battery lights at the E.W. Luebke Farm in Kenyon. The base is made of a black colored hard bakelite. At the top is the battery charging unit that consists of two horiztonal spools and two vertical spools. Below it is the battery electric gauge with a needle that points to either "CHARGE", "OFF", or "DISCHARGE". The gauge has printed on it "ROLLER-SMITH CO. BETHLEHEM PA. U.S.A.". To the left of the gauge is a medium sized fuse with a red center. The fuse has a green and white label on it. Below the guage is a switch lever with "START" on the left on a gold colored plate and "RUN" on the right on a gold colored plate. Below the switch lever is a large sized fuse with a red center. At the bottom of the unit are three insulated wires. The wires run under the unit and to the top of the box. The base has two metal brackets attached to the back of it to mount on a wall. The brackets are 13" long x 1" wide. The batteries were separate from the unit. They were attached to the bottom of the switching unit. A generator charged the batteries. The lever switch was for the generator. When the lever switch was in the up position, the generator stopped. The top three wires went to the house and turned on the lights. The unit was often kept outside in a shed. It ran on 36 volts.

See instructions 2011.16.2 for the batteries that were attached to the switching unit box.