What's this for?

[evanso1975]

This round electrical plug came with my M38, but wasn't attached to anything:




The wiring looks non-military, but it's an exact match for the wiring that one of the PO's did on the headlights (complete with a coat of thick black paint!). I did wonder if it was something to do with the lights, but it doesn't appear to fit anywhere.

The plug is 1-1/8" diameter and 2-3/8" long, and has five brass pins (numbered 1 to 5). I did dismiss it as non-military, but the white insert you see in the first photo has the word "cannon" embossed on it (the manufacturer, I presume?). The dust caps of both the firewall socket and radio receptacle also have "cannon" stamped on them, so maybe it is military after all? It doesn't have any threaded parts like the other plugs on the M38 wiring.

It's too big to fit the firewall socket, and too small for the radio receptacle. Any ideas what it could be for?

Thanks in advance,
Owen.

[skyjeep50]

"cannon" is a generic term for these types of connectors originally developed by Mr. Cannon. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XLR_connector
The reference suggests a 5-pin cannon connector may have been part of some stereo equipment. I just rewired my M38 and there were no connectors like that anywhere on the jeep. My guess it's a civilian connector for some non-jeep purpose.

[wesk]

Cannon made thousands of connectors for civvy and military use. They are still in business I believe as Cannon/ITT.

That one is a radio or stereo plug which I have seen many of over the years. Most likely pins were +12V, Grd, Lt Spkr, Rt spkr and spkr common.

[evanso1975]

Hmm, that sounds as if it could be right. One of the PO's replaced the headlights with 12V units, so maybe they put a 12V stereo in at about the same time (judging by the similar cabling used).

There's nothing left inside the plug except aluminium dust, so I'll weigh it in for scrap. See if I can get any luck money back.

Thanks folks,
Owen.