Mercury arc rectifiers - Melb. area

[John Mackesy]

Does anyone know of any glass-bulb type mercury arc (Cooper-Hewitt)
rectifiers still operational in the Melbourne area. I'd like to have a
look at one operating.

John Mackesy

 

[Brian Goldsmith]

"John Mackesy" <mack@melbpc.org.au> wrote


Does anyone know of any glass-bulb type mercury arc (Cooper-Hewitt)
rectifiers still operational in the Melbourne area. I'd like to have a
look at one operating.

John Mackesy

*** John,give Metloink a ring,131638,if there are still any arc rectifiers
operating it will be on the tramway system.
I would'nt hold out much hope though,mercury has had a bad press for quite a
while now!

Brian Goldsmith.

 

[Mike Diack]

John Mackesy <mack@melbpc.org.au> wrote in news:ctkasc$bk3$1
@possum.melbpc.org.au:

Does anyone know of any glass-bulb type mercury arc (Cooper-Hewitt)
rectifiers still operational in the Melbourne area. I'd like to have a
look at one operating.

John Mackesy

Used to have this big sod in my garage
http://homepages.kcbbs.gen.nz/moby/MERC.JPG
until I got paranoid about what would happen if the kids took a potshot at
it...gave it away.
The local transport museum (MOTAT) still uses them for the trams, and lots
of people gather round the rectifier cage on live days to ohh and ahh at
the angry blue glow when the tramdriver puts his foot down (or whatever
tramdrivers do to make trams go faster).
M