Mercury Arc Rectifier (1930's)

[boji]

Thanks, YT Algo.

https://youtu.be/YhaQqgXrMMU?t=252

 

[Tubetec]

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[ruffrecords]

I have a vague memory of those being used in early electric trains to convert the AC from overhead lines to the dc required for the motors.  Fascinating technology.

Ideal for the HT supply of a big tube mixer.

Cheers

Ianm

 

[Tubetec]

Seems like these devices may play a role in the delivery of renewable energy in the future .
Transmission of energy via HVDC undersea cables from wind turbines and inter country power connectors seems one likely usage,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjMZ5qtyCUc

Theres a clip from the Manx electric railway , horrendous buzz off the thing while in operation , the guy gets up close and personal putting hands into the enclosure , that didnt look clever at all . Its well known that spikes of many killovolts can appear across 600 volt systems used in railways .

 

[pvision]

They pulled a set out of a London theatre a couple of years ago. IIRC they powered the follow spots

I'd love to have seen them in operation!

 

[Tubetec]

Its definately got an Alchemical/Wizardry type feel to it . 
You could just imagine it operated by a Quasimodo like creature down in the basement of old theatres .

 

[rock soderstrom]

Its definately got an Alchemical/Wizardry type feel to it . 

Yes, pure magic!

 

[Script]

Beautiful

 

[emrr]

Article in the may 1934 issue of RCA Broadcast News about use in transmitters.

 

[topcat]

They really are beautiful in operation...As a child I remember seeing one operating in an old school science museum and one featured in a (IIRC) Patrick Troughton era Dr Who as an evil intelligence. 

Kempton (London) Steam Museum has/had a pair operating...worth a post Covid visit.
London underground used many of these wonderful devices.tc

 

[sahib]

I am a bit of an anorak when it comes to things like that. Around 2007  a small shipyard (Kingston Dock) was being  flattened here in Glasgow and the substation that powered the electric crane had 3 phase mercury arc rectifier, also known as Hewittic rectifiers. I was contacted to record and document the crane and the substation which I did literally a couple of days before it was scrapped. Sometimes later by pure chance I acquired a complete original installation and service manual for the rectifiers from the very Hewittic Company on e-bay.
I compiled below pictures for your enjoyment. Check the picture for the electric motor on bottom left. As if it was wound yesterday.

 

[Tubetec]

I love the way they improvised back in the vintage days of Sci-fi ,
the flashy CGI crap nowadays  may look good but it lacks atmos, feel and creativity.

I remember visiting my cousins in Dublin years back , all the neighbours kids tried to take the piss out of them for having relatives from Cork , me and my cousin went to the tool shed and cobbled together a 'death ray' composed of spark plug wires batteries and other electrical odds and ends , all the neighbourhood blowhards went screaming back to their mammies with tears in their eyes, piss running down their legs and not a finger lifted against one of them  ;D