2-prong body cord issues

[thekoby]

I've got an old 2-prong body cord that belongs to my club. I can't even tell you who the manufacturer is, but my problem is that when I plug it into a foil and score box, it won't register any touches, yet when I hook it up to my voltmeter it registers perfectly fine.

I know it's not the foil because I tested it with a brand new Uhlmann cord. What am I over looking to fix this problem, or should I just write the cord off as useless and scrap it for parts?

[downunder]

Sounds like the two wires that go up to the plug socket are the wrong way around. Swap them and try again.

[DHCJr]

downunder, let us make sure that is the problem before we do all that work.

By doesn't register any touches, does that include off-target.

If so, unplug the weapon and see if the white light comes on, then it is the weapon. If not there is a short between the B & C wire, not that they are reversed.

If the off-target goes on, but not the valid, then place the side of the blade against the lame' and press down on the tip.

If the valid goes on, then do use downunder's suggestion.

If it does not then you have another problem and will have to check some more.

[SJCFU#2]

One other thing to look at once you've eliminated the weapon and reversal of the wires - the connection between the body cord and the guard socket.

On rare occasions I have seen the metal retaining clip on the body cord come into contact with the metal top of the insulated jack (B) on the socket. Since the metal clip was already in contact with the metal bracket of the socket this created a short between the B and C lines which prevented any touches (either on or off target) from registering, even though the weapon and body cord otherwise worked perfectly well.

[Purple Fencer]

Originally Posted by thekoby

I've got an old 2-prong body cord that belongs to my club. I can't even tell you who the manufacturer is, but my problem is that when I plug it into a foil and score box, it won't register any touches, yet when I hook it up to my voltmeter it registers perfectly fine.

I know it's not the foil because I tested it with a brand new Uhlmann cord. What am I over looking to fix this problem, or should I just write the cord off as useless and scrap it for parts?

Can you describe the cord, or post a picture? The solutions listed already are good ones....but the possibility that SJCFU describes COULD mean it's one of my first generation American cords (even though you say it's an old one)....that WAS an occasional problem I had (which has since been solved)

[SJCFU#2]

Originally Posted by Purple Fencer

Can you describe the cord, or post a picture? The solutions listed already are good ones....but the possibility that SJCFU describes COULD mean it's one of my first generation American cords (even though you say it's an old one)....that WAS an occasional problem I had (which has since been solved)

FWIW, I don't recall any of them being your cords, Sam, so you probably were not to blame in the instances that I've seen.

In at least one case it would never have even became a problem if the fencer hadn't had to borrow a weapon from a teammate - apparently the jacks on the socket of the borrowed weapon stuck up just high enough for what had been a potential problem to become very real.