# Fixing my Racal Airlite Powered Respirator Batter Pack



## rizaydog (Feb 28, 2011)

I have an old Racal Airlite powered respirator face shield.  The batter  pack wouldn't hold a charge for very long.  I searched online for a new  pack with no luck.  They stopped making these a long time ago.  But  since it still is a good shape and I don't want to spend the $$ for a  new model, I decided to rebuild the battery.

On this unit, the battery pack slides inside the top of the face  shield.  I removed the pack from the helmet.  I carefuly removed the  plastic cover off the top of the pack to reveal the cells.  There where 3  cells inside.  They are the same diameter as a standard AA battery but  slightly longer.  I got my multi meter out and tested the voltage.  It  read 2.4 volts.  I searched online for 3 replacement cells.  However,  not knowing what they are called and the fact that the cells didn't have  any writing on them, I decided to use 2 AA type batteries.  

Since I need to charge the new batteries in a standard 1 hour charger, I  didn't want to put them into the Racal battery pack.  Then I would have  to remove them from the pack when I need a charge.  So I decided to  make my own.  I rummaged through my junk for about an hour.  I looked  through my son's old toys for something that used 2 AA batteries.   Finally I found an old plastic flashlight that used 2 AA's.

I took the flashlight apart.  I removed the lens and bulb.  I ran two  wires through the bulb hole in the reflector.  I soldered on wire on the  two contact points on the back of the reflector, added batteries, and  replaced the top of the flashlight.  I drilled a hole along the edge of  the lens for the wires to stick out.  I replaced the lens allowing the  wires to pass through using the hole.

I then went back to my junk pile and found a headphone jack and plug (at  least that is what I think they are).  I soldered the jack to my leads  on my flashlight battery pack.  The plug I soldered to a 3' length of  wire.  Then I soldered the other end of this wire to the two connection  points on the blower fan on the Racal.  I flipped the switch on the  flashlight and it fired right up.

I then took an old hacksaw blade and ground the shape teeth off.  I bent  it in half and made a belt clip similar to one on a tape measure.  I  put it on the flashlight and made a few more bends so it fit the curve  of the light nicely.  I added some CA glue and I was off to the shop.

I used it for about 6 hours yesterday and it was still running strong.   I'll keep using the batteries until they are completely dead just to get  an idea how long they last.  I found that the clip works well but I  have just been placing the batter pack in the back pocket of my turning  smock.


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## KenV (Feb 28, 2011)

3M did take over the Racal line a number of year back and they are still being made.  

Parts and supplies are available 

http://www.airwareamerica.com/3mhepaairstream.aspx

Rebuilt battery systems can work well --- glad you had success with that, but some of the other consumables will probably need to be ordered.


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## rizaydog (Mar 2, 2011)

Thanks for the info Ken.  I'll save the link for later.


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