Re: Vacuum tubes

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Ben McMillen by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <spoonman534-at-yahoo-dot-com>

Hi John,
  It sounds to me like what you saw may have been a mercury
arc rectifier.. They were commonly used in power
equipment.. 

Coiling In Pittsburgh
Ben McMillen

--- Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
> Original poster: "John Richardson by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jprich-at-up-dot-net>
> 
> Hi Guys,
>  
> Well, Resonance Research's Teslathon was a huge success. 
> Lots of awesome
> stuff, and a good time for all.
>  
> I was highly impressed by Steve Wards VTTC, and it's
> given me the bug to build
> one.  I'm not all that knowledgeable with electronics,
> but I have a question
> that I'm hoping someone can help me with:
>  
> In an old welding shop one day, and one of the guys was
> holding the largest
> tube that I had ever seen.  I seem remember that he said
> it was out of an old
> DC welder, or maybe it was from some huge antique battery
> charger.  Is anyone
> familiar with one of these, and would it have any
> practical application in
> building a VTTC?  It seems that everyone is worried about
> overdriving their
> plates, and common sense would dictate that a rectifying
> tube of this type
> would be nearly indestructible.  Am I dreaming, or is it
> possible that this has
> some relevance?
>  
> Thanks,
>  
> John Richardson
> 
>