Complete re-wiring and control upgrade of 3-manual, 50-rank Austin Organ #2335
During 2024, notes in the Swell and Pedal chambers began failing: some would go silent while others shorted to neighboring circuits. The organ, built in 1960, still contained its original cotton-covered cables and electro-mechanical switching. After more than 60 years, those cables had deteriorated to the point where nearly three-quarters of the Swell and Pedal divisions were unplayable.
The church determined that the best stewardship of the instrument was to have Comet Organ Company rewire the entire organ using new PVC color-coded cabling, and upgrade the pipe control system with the latest Rodgers PIM2 system. The original selenium power supply was replaced with two modern units — one installed in each chamber — and all original electro-mechanical switches, worn and burnt from years of arcing and use, were replaced with modern Rodgers driver boards.
The Swell and Pedal chambers were rewired before Palm Sunday 2025, restoring full functionality in time for Easter. The Great and Choir chambers were rewired in the summer of 2025. This work also reactivated the top seven notes of the 68-note manual compass, fully restoring the operation of the organ’s octave couplers.
Throughout the project, all original cotton-covered wiring and outdated electrical components were removed, and new AC voltage lines were installed to provide clean, stable current throughout the instrument. The organ continues to be played from its Rodgers Masterpiece 376 custom console, installed in 2011 by the late L. A. Carlson Company.
The new Rodgers PIM2 (Pipe Interface Manager) mounted to a board finished with organ shellac match the Austin Universal Airbox. The PIM2 is the "brains" of the Rodgers pipe control system. This unit is programmed for all the stops, keys and other controls, and commands the firing of each output in relation to the console.
The Swell/Pedal driver panel, finished in orange shellac to match the Austin Universal Airbox. This panel, now mounted inside the Universal Airbox, keeps the chest cables as short as possible. A fuse block at the top keeps the wiring mains neat and labeled for easy wire tracings.
The Austin pneumatics were replaced in 1991, but the original cotton-covered wiring was kept. Here you can see some modifications to the wiring over the years.
The view of the Choir stop and key actions, and the Pedal's 4' Krummhorn "internal borrow" actions hanging from the ceiling. The 4' Krummhorn wiring was borrowed in the early 2000's to install an electronic 32' Contra Bourdon voice; this wiring was restored to the 4' Pedal Krummhorn since the 32' Bourdon is now provided by the Rodgers organ.
An example of the original Austin cotton-covered wiring, and a portion of an original electro-pneumatic/mechanical borrow switch. All of this wiring was stripped out and replaced with new PVC color-coded wiring, and the mechanical switch was replaced by the new Rodgers driver boards.
This cleaned wall inside the Austin Universal Airbox was an excellent place to hang one of the new driver panels.
An original Austin "borrow" switch mounted to the side of the chest wall and exhausts the pneumatic to the outside air. Many of these wire contacts were corroded from years of arching and use. They have been replaced with modern driver boards.
Original cotton-covered wiring underneath the Austin actions.
Original cotton-covered wiring underneath the Austin actions. The far-right unit is the Swell key action; the left unit is the 16' Contra Fagotto "internal borrow" action - both with their original cotton-covered wiring.
Here we have stripped out the old cotton-covered cables from inside the high-pressure Bombarde chest, leaving some wire to help us find the magnet piece. This pigtail was removed when the new cabling was installed.
A finished driver panel with the new PVC cables dressed neatly away, and all new plug connectors for easy diagnosing.
New power supplies were installed in both chambers, controlled from switched outlet units triggered from the new PIM2.
