Hewittic Mercury-arc Rectifier of Manx Electric Railway

[gordongate]

all that lovely UV emission.

[ericperic66]

I have only just come across this video and am thrilled to have found it. I did my apprenticeship at Hackbridge & Hewittic back in the 1950/60's and worked in the test department for these rectifiers. A big bank of these bulbs running at full load was most impressive. Somehow, the germanium and silicon rectifiers that replaced these were never so exciting to test.

[HorizonDelta]

Jeez ! That is whta I call High Voltage !! Not that modern electronic toys ; -)))

[MrSciencetificsasuke]

that thing is HUGE!!!

[LinuxRaymaker]

I love how vintage electronics is so physical in operation. A modern semiconductor rectifier may be much more efficient but is much more boring too.

[spadge2356]

@LinuxRaymaker I agree. Love the old nixie tube clocks and things like that. LED's look pretty but have taken all the rustic value out of stuff like that

[PanJawelDrugi]

i'd love to get one just to break it and get all that mercury

[SteveTheCart]

Only the devil himself could design something so beautiful.

[SteveTheCart]

It is not turning AC into DC; it is turning good into evil. If it was possible to see pure evil it would look like ths.

[sac78008]

Michael Caine?

[threelegsoman]

@sac78008 I am sure the gentleman would be delighted to think he sounds like Michael Caine, but no he is not.

[sac78008]

@threelegsoman ;)

[artifactingreality]

This video has taught me that old ladies fucking love Mercury Arc Rectifiers.

[mushroomscouser]

Mad thing that is. Like some potty electric octopus....SHIT ITS COMIN TO GET ME!!! NO!!!

[rathat48]

GLaDOS?

[threelegsoman]

@rathat48 ?

[dacooter]

@threelegsoman Ever Play Portal?

[threelegsoman]

@dacooter No, never heard of it

[dacooter]

@threelegsoman That is where the name came from, its a great game. look it up!

[Pilotgeek]

@threelegsoman : Lame. The cake is a lie.

[threelegsoman]

@Pilotgeek Sorry I am an old codger who does not understand geekspeak. Could you be so kind as to translate into english so that I can understand it please.

[Ickuarous]

All that UV can't be good for your eyes

[threelegsoman]

@Ickuarous That is probably why it is closed in behind a solid steel cabinet door most of the time.

[DNRY122]

Thank you, threelegsoman! I saw this device when I visited Man in 1993. Good to see it's still running. It made me think of Dr. Frankenstein's laboratory.

Bob Davis

San Gabriel, Calif.

Member of Orange Empire Railway Museum.

[threelegsoman]

Yes, it is a bit like that isn't it.

[joupetta]

These things look great when operational.

[00JTM]

I wonder who that is at 0:54 :-)

[threelegsoman]

Well spotted, it is indeed a reflexion of me with my camera.

[TonyMcWatt]

it looks cool, i want one in my bedroom.

[Roselyne18]

Merci Tony, bonne journée et beau mois d'octobre !

Amitiés de Rosy.

[00JTM]

I don't know what to say :-)

[banjodano]

ive never seen one of those before Tony but it looks great!

[threelegsoman]

As the guy explaining its workings said, this sort of rectifier is now obsolete being replaced by a small box of solid state electronics