In Need of Basic Wiring Diagrams for SIMPLE Pipe Organ

[dw154515]

I have set out to build a small two manual organ from 'recycled' parts. I have searched all over the internet with little help trying to find a simple diagram of how to wire the chest magnets to the actual keys on the manuals. I know it is, at least in theory, basic wiring, but I want to be certain as I have never done this before. Does anyone have just a basic diagram on how this works? Secondly, where do you buy these kinds of parts? Thanks a bunch for the help!

[fredy2]

Re: In Need of Basic Wiring Diagrams for SIMPLE Pipe Organ



The keys usually gate either a plus or minus voltage which then goes through mass relay contacts that are closed by tab stops as selected. From those contacts, the signals go to the magnets.

Some are now using electronic switches to do the tab stops instead of the mechanical relays. The mass wiring is from the tab relays to each pipe... lots of wires...

[Guest]

Re: In Need of Basic Wiring Diagrams for SIMPLE Pipe Organ



Think of the chest magnet like a light bulb and the keyboard contact as to the switch to turn it on when you press on the key. There's just a lot of them.

Gettintg down to detail, here's an example. The keyboard contacts have a common to which one side of each switch goes to and this goes to the positive terminal of a 12volt battery. The negative terminal of the battery goes to the commons on all the chest magnets. Now, a wire goes from the other side of each switch to the other side of it's respective maginet. So when you press C1, the current flowsthrough the c1 magnet, magnetizing it and allowing the valve to open. If your keyboard is 61 notes, you need 61 switches and 61 wires going to the chest and the plus and minus commons. A lot of wiring.

That's the basic layout, now if you want stoptab control, additional switches are needed and if you want a pipe to be available on both keyboards you need more contacts or diodes to isolate the keyboards.

A pipe organ Relay is the control center that routes and controls the functions and is often the most complex part of an organ. A 1920 Wurlitzer relay is as fastinating to watch as the organ is beautiful to listen. Folks back then were pretty smart!

[MD1032]

Re: In Need of Basic Wiring Diagrams for SIMPLE Pipe Organ

Yup, you need a relay of some kind. Ask around locally to see if your local organbuilders have any old ones they don't want.