https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/ Mon, 20 Apr 2026 03:05:54 +0000 MyBB https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9519 Sat, 01 Nov 2025 03:28:37 +0000 Desmond]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9519 Hello friends.


I have not published anything lately because I have been working on a few lost causes. I have been chasing up a CRT for a 25” HMV TV from 1967.


A service manual and belts for a National NV-5120A cartridge Video Recorder. I did however manage to get an E.I.A.J. 8 pin male plug for it.


A Pioneer Laser Disk player that needs special equipment/jigs to work on it. this one I will get rid of, or just have as a static display.


A Rank Arena 14” delta tube colour TV model C-1451 It has a vertical fault but can not be worked on because of its construction. I need extension leads to get it to a point where I can measure some voltages and waveforms. I have a spare Horizontal/Vertical driver board and sockets, but the plugs form part of the PCB. The present thought is to find some nails that are 2.36 mm in diameter and solder wire to the blunt end, then cover the join with heat shrink tubing. The wires from these nails/pins then join to the sockets and leads from an old set. I do wish that I had purchased a set of extension leads from the manufacturer years ago.


I have also been working on several pattern generators of late.
All seem to be afflicted with the same fault. Constructed in a manner to be almost impossible to service. Try to replace the two meters in a
Philips PM 5509 pattern generator and let me know how long it takes you.


Pattern generators seem to be one of the electronic items that one can plug in and be almost guaranteed that they will be suffering from multiple faults!


I've just inherited a Philips PM 5508. It does indeed look to be a better version of the PM 5508. this one has no R.F. output and the service manual does not show section 5, the R.F. out section!


I took a photo of a PM 5509 running three patterns at the same time. I will TRY to upload. It is running checker board, cross hatch, and circle.

  IMG_20251030_175852 - Copy 2.jpg (Size: 332.58 KB / Downloads: 19) ]]> Hello friends.


I have not published anything lately because I have been working on a few lost causes. I have been chasing up a CRT for a 25” HMV TV from 1967.


A service manual and belts for a National NV-5120A cartridge Video Recorder. I did however manage to get an E.I.A.J. 8 pin male plug for it.


A Pioneer Laser Disk player that needs special equipment/jigs to work on it. this one I will get rid of, or just have as a static display.


A Rank Arena 14” delta tube colour TV model C-1451 It has a vertical fault but can not be worked on because of its construction. I need extension leads to get it to a point where I can measure some voltages and waveforms. I have a spare Horizontal/Vertical driver board and sockets, but the plugs form part of the PCB. The present thought is to find some nails that are 2.36 mm in diameter and solder wire to the blunt end, then cover the join with heat shrink tubing. The wires from these nails/pins then join to the sockets and leads from an old set. I do wish that I had purchased a set of extension leads from the manufacturer years ago.


I have also been working on several pattern generators of late.
All seem to be afflicted with the same fault. Constructed in a manner to be almost impossible to service. Try to replace the two meters in a
Philips PM 5509 pattern generator and let me know how long it takes you.


Pattern generators seem to be one of the electronic items that one can plug in and be almost guaranteed that they will be suffering from multiple faults!


I've just inherited a Philips PM 5508. It does indeed look to be a better version of the PM 5508. this one has no R.F. output and the service manual does not show section 5, the R.F. out section!


I took a photo of a PM 5509 running three patterns at the same time. I will TRY to upload. It is running checker board, cross hatch, and circle.

  IMG_20251030_175852 - Copy 2.jpg (Size: 332.58 KB / Downloads: 19) ]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9516 Tue, 21 Oct 2025 05:17:50 +0000 Desmond]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9516 Hi all.
Not great news. It seems that I am not having a good run with parts and service data lately. I've sunk a couple of hours into getting the machine operating, and it does try. Having not worked on one of these in the past, I have no good idea as to what is supposed to happen. U tube videos only reveal so much.


I think that one of my tape cartridges has video tape fitted from a VHS or Beta cassette, which has the tape oxide on the outside of the tape where as this machine needs the oxide layer on the inside of the tape. I also need belts, and eight volt illumination/sensor lamps. I have hunted world-wide for a Service Manual or a Training Manual. Panasonic used to produce wonderful training manuals.


Rewinding video tape from a VHS cassette reel onto a National cassette reel is not something I am willing to do unless I can get the machine to play. At this time I can get it to lace and unlace but nothing else. I do see what might be a tape end sensor but I am not sure. So little information on this format.


I guess that it could become a static display, or a boat anchor. Perhaps not a boat anchor. I did have to get it shipped 3,000 km to get it here when I bought it.


I'll try a little longer before I give up on it, and have a look at a couple of U-matic machines I own. I have a few Service Manuals for U-matic machines, and anything is better than nothing.


Wish me luck. ]]> Hi all.
Not great news. It seems that I am not having a good run with parts and service data lately. I've sunk a couple of hours into getting the machine operating, and it does try. Having not worked on one of these in the past, I have no good idea as to what is supposed to happen. U tube videos only reveal so much.


I think that one of my tape cartridges has video tape fitted from a VHS or Beta cassette, which has the tape oxide on the outside of the tape where as this machine needs the oxide layer on the inside of the tape. I also need belts, and eight volt illumination/sensor lamps. I have hunted world-wide for a Service Manual or a Training Manual. Panasonic used to produce wonderful training manuals.


Rewinding video tape from a VHS cassette reel onto a National cassette reel is not something I am willing to do unless I can get the machine to play. At this time I can get it to lace and unlace but nothing else. I do see what might be a tape end sensor but I am not sure. So little information on this format.


I guess that it could become a static display, or a boat anchor. Perhaps not a boat anchor. I did have to get it shipped 3,000 km to get it here when I bought it.


I'll try a little longer before I give up on it, and have a look at a couple of U-matic machines I own. I have a few Service Manuals for U-matic machines, and anything is better than nothing.


Wish me luck. ]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9501 Thu, 18 Sep 2025 07:18:40 +0000 Desmond]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9501 Hi all.
I finally dragged my Pioneer Laser Disc Player out of storage and had a look at it. It was mostly all there in its original box, remote control, transit screws, and original remote control's batteries.


There were two PAL laser discs in the box that I could use to test the machine, 1. Vanishing Point. 2. Che. (Che Geuvara.) I had down loaded all the service data that I could find some time back but nothing real helpful.


Anyway, in for a penny, in for a pound. I had the machine, I had discs, and I had time. So.... I opened up the machine and to my horror, it became immediately obvious that there was no way to perform adjustments to the machine without Factory Jigs. I remember the servicing jig for the Philips Laser Disc Player, It was a concrete slab with four corner posts, onto which the Philips machine sat with its bottom cover removed and its two bottom boards swung down, the whole thing looking like a Lancaster Bomber with its bomb bay doors open.


The Pioneer appeared like wise. This thing could not be operated on any angle other than upright. I pondered putting the top cover on and trying to operate up-side-down but chickened out. The discs are big, thick, and heavy. And I did not want to see what would happen if the disc were to let go at eight hundred R.P.M.


I checked all that I could inside the machine to find that it was remarkably clean and that it looks to have never been played with. So, with nothing more to delay me, I put the bottom cover on, (essential to operate the machine) and tried to play a laser disc.


The R.F. output to the T.V. was about Ch. 36 No On-Screen-Display. Too early for Pioneer in 1983. Akai had O.S.D. from 1982. Buttons were pressed, lights came on, motors spun, sled assembly moved and servos hunted. The result? Drum roll please, “It tried to play.” With a bit of time an unstable picture would appear in black and white, sound and colour also coming on intermittently as the servos tried to lock.




My conclusion. I feel that there is nothing basically wrong with this machine other than to adjust the servos. I'm sure that if I were to study the three manuals I have for the machine, I could write myself an abridged version of only what is needed to adjust the servos. After all, it does not need EVERY control adjusted!


By the way. The sled assembly is a magnificent thing to behold. A laser tube, lenses, a die cast platform, and a prism?


Preview.
I am about to begin work on my National Video Cartridge Recorder,
NV 5120A I'm unable to find any service manuals for it. I like to have manuals for anything that I work on before I begin. Also needed, the once common place 8 pin connector, EIAJ-2 E8M. My machine does not have the optional R.F. Modulator. Maybe the modulator from the later V.H.S. machine NV-8600 will fit, but I doubt it.


Best wishes


Desmond. ]]> Hi all.
I finally dragged my Pioneer Laser Disc Player out of storage and had a look at it. It was mostly all there in its original box, remote control, transit screws, and original remote control's batteries.


There were two PAL laser discs in the box that I could use to test the machine, 1. Vanishing Point. 2. Che. (Che Geuvara.) I had down loaded all the service data that I could find some time back but nothing real helpful.


Anyway, in for a penny, in for a pound. I had the machine, I had discs, and I had time. So.... I opened up the machine and to my horror, it became immediately obvious that there was no way to perform adjustments to the machine without Factory Jigs. I remember the servicing jig for the Philips Laser Disc Player, It was a concrete slab with four corner posts, onto which the Philips machine sat with its bottom cover removed and its two bottom boards swung down, the whole thing looking like a Lancaster Bomber with its bomb bay doors open.


The Pioneer appeared like wise. This thing could not be operated on any angle other than upright. I pondered putting the top cover on and trying to operate up-side-down but chickened out. The discs are big, thick, and heavy. And I did not want to see what would happen if the disc were to let go at eight hundred R.P.M.


I checked all that I could inside the machine to find that it was remarkably clean and that it looks to have never been played with. So, with nothing more to delay me, I put the bottom cover on, (essential to operate the machine) and tried to play a laser disc.


The R.F. output to the T.V. was about Ch. 36 No On-Screen-Display. Too early for Pioneer in 1983. Akai had O.S.D. from 1982. Buttons were pressed, lights came on, motors spun, sled assembly moved and servos hunted. The result? Drum roll please, “It tried to play.” With a bit of time an unstable picture would appear in black and white, sound and colour also coming on intermittently as the servos tried to lock.




My conclusion. I feel that there is nothing basically wrong with this machine other than to adjust the servos. I'm sure that if I were to study the three manuals I have for the machine, I could write myself an abridged version of only what is needed to adjust the servos. After all, it does not need EVERY control adjusted!


By the way. The sled assembly is a magnificent thing to behold. A laser tube, lenses, a die cast platform, and a prism?


Preview.
I am about to begin work on my National Video Cartridge Recorder,
NV 5120A I'm unable to find any service manuals for it. I like to have manuals for anything that I work on before I begin. Also needed, the once common place 8 pin connector, EIAJ-2 E8M. My machine does not have the optional R.F. Modulator. Maybe the modulator from the later V.H.S. machine NV-8600 will fit, but I doubt it.


Best wishes


Desmond. ]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9495 Thu, 04 Sep 2025 04:19:40 +0000 Desmond]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9495 Before I take a look at the Pioneer Laser Disc player, I had to clear off my workbench.


Last Sunday I was followed home from the market by a very nice desk top calculator. Mains powered and containing ten vacuum fluorescent display tubes. Finally a calculator with a display large enough for me to read.
This thing is quality all the way. So refreshing to see something built to last.


Testing revealed something I've never before come across in a calculator. One of number buttons, number eight (8) was exhibiting intermittent switch de-bounce problems. Sometimes it would multiple input on depress, and sometimes upon release.


While I had the calculator apart to clean the switch, I glued up a crack in the case. It all went well and the crack is invisible.


The model? As best I can determine, it is a Litton, Imperial, Royal IC-130


As always, I take many photographs of whatever I work on. I have many schematics of televisions that on longer exist but no one knows what they looked like.


Best Wishes.]]> Before I take a look at the Pioneer Laser Disc player, I had to clear off my workbench.


Last Sunday I was followed home from the market by a very nice desk top calculator. Mains powered and containing ten vacuum fluorescent display tubes. Finally a calculator with a display large enough for me to read.
This thing is quality all the way. So refreshing to see something built to last.


Testing revealed something I've never before come across in a calculator. One of number buttons, number eight (8) was exhibiting intermittent switch de-bounce problems. Sometimes it would multiple input on depress, and sometimes upon release.


While I had the calculator apart to clean the switch, I glued up a crack in the case. It all went well and the crack is invisible.


The model? As best I can determine, it is a Litton, Imperial, Royal IC-130


As always, I take many photographs of whatever I work on. I have many schematics of televisions that on longer exist but no one knows what they looked like.


Best Wishes.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9493 Tue, 02 Sep 2025 05:40:44 +0000 Desmond]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9493 A quick repair this time. I picked up this rewinder for just three dollars. A mains powered rewinder that looks like a large model sports car.


The most difficult part of the repair was in taking the thing apart. As we all know, things are designed to go together, not to come apart. With no obvious screws, I took to the join between the top and bottom case with a spudger and a screwdriver. I eventually got it apart and with no breaks. I was then able to get to the cover of the cassette tray. This was removed with no grief.


The mechanism was still hidden beneath the cassette tray but there did not seem to be anyway to remove the tray with out the use of a hammer and extreme violence. Since the rubber drive belt looked to be not too stretched I worked the mechanism back and forth until the clutch assembly freed up. The drive motor was dated
18 May 1996 Therefore the belt looks to be twenty-nine years old. The motor appears to be powered by A.C. Although there is an electro across the motor, no diode is anywhere to be seen.


A few days after the repair, I was attending the local branch of the Men's Shed. I was asked by another member, what I did on the weekend? I replied that I had bought a Red Sports Car.
I had to clarify that it was not a full size car, but only a model car.


Not sure what to fix next. Pioneer Laser Disc Player? Or the National Panasonic format video cartridge recorder? ]]> A quick repair this time. I picked up this rewinder for just three dollars. A mains powered rewinder that looks like a large model sports car.


The most difficult part of the repair was in taking the thing apart. As we all know, things are designed to go together, not to come apart. With no obvious screws, I took to the join between the top and bottom case with a spudger and a screwdriver. I eventually got it apart and with no breaks. I was then able to get to the cover of the cassette tray. This was removed with no grief.


The mechanism was still hidden beneath the cassette tray but there did not seem to be anyway to remove the tray with out the use of a hammer and extreme violence. Since the rubber drive belt looked to be not too stretched I worked the mechanism back and forth until the clutch assembly freed up. The drive motor was dated
18 May 1996 Therefore the belt looks to be twenty-nine years old. The motor appears to be powered by A.C. Although there is an electro across the motor, no diode is anywhere to be seen.


A few days after the repair, I was attending the local branch of the Men's Shed. I was asked by another member, what I did on the weekend? I replied that I had bought a Red Sports Car.
I had to clarify that it was not a full size car, but only a model car.


Not sure what to fix next. Pioneer Laser Disc Player? Or the National Panasonic format video cartridge recorder? ]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9460 Wed, 18 Jun 2025 15:04:43 +0000 Podbuilder]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9460
]]>
]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9421 Sun, 16 Mar 2025 13:40:25 +0000 djrm]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9421 There are a pair of neons arranged as a multivibrator lighting a light dependant resistor. With power applied it oscillates at 151 Hz and generates an approximately square wave. I hadn't seen this configuration previously but a search shows similar configurations being used in chopper amplifiers.

Amplifier board and neon multibrator with photo-resistor:

  20250316_131811-COLLAGE.jpg (Size: 108.88 KB / Downloads: 29)


  IMG_20250316_133525069_MP~2.jpg (Size: 15.94 KB / Downloads: 28)

Complete test set:
 
  IMG_20250313_195506405_HDR.jpg (Size: 74.97 KB / Downloads: 29)

The other amplifier module is easier to understand being a relatively simple AC power amplifier. I have made a schematic of this and managed to use it to drive a 400Hz servo motor. The complete system should be able to implement a complete closed loop control system, I'd like to use it to help test and repair old aircraft instruments.

I like the big dial and control knobs.
Has anybody seen any schematics for a similar DC amplifier?

Best regards, David.]]> There are a pair of neons arranged as a multivibrator lighting a light dependant resistor. With power applied it oscillates at 151 Hz and generates an approximately square wave. I hadn't seen this configuration previously but a search shows similar configurations being used in chopper amplifiers.

Amplifier board and neon multibrator with photo-resistor:

  20250316_131811-COLLAGE.jpg (Size: 108.88 KB / Downloads: 29)


  IMG_20250316_133525069_MP~2.jpg (Size: 15.94 KB / Downloads: 28)

Complete test set:
 
  IMG_20250313_195506405_HDR.jpg (Size: 74.97 KB / Downloads: 29)

The other amplifier module is easier to understand being a relatively simple AC power amplifier. I have made a schematic of this and managed to use it to drive a 400Hz servo motor. The complete system should be able to implement a complete closed loop control system, I'd like to use it to help test and repair old aircraft instruments.

I like the big dial and control knobs.
Has anybody seen any schematics for a similar DC amplifier?

Best regards, David.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9403 Sat, 08 Feb 2025 11:13:57 +0000 ppppenguin]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9403
It's not the first time that the PSU in this unit has fried. These rectifiers were actually RS branded replacements. These repairs must have been done when it was in use at BBC Pebble Mill. The bridge bolted to the back panel that's in one of the photos had probably been fitted at the same time. It supplies one of the analogue power rails.

I don't think much of the way the BBC fitted their favourite XLR-LNE mains inlet either.

By chance I've also been fixing a Philips LDK4210 SPG recently. The mains transformer had overheated and had shorted turns. A similar bridge had an open circuit diode. Halfwave rectification puts DC though the winding and saturates the transformer. The problem is that if there's enough margin and/or the mains voltage is high enough the unit carries on working despite the rectifier being halfwave.

  IMG_9396.jpeg (Size: 351.39 KB / Downloads: 29)

  pm5544_rectifier_board.resized.jpg (Size: 94.81 KB / Downloads: 29)

  pm5544_mains_inlet.resized.jpg (Size: 65.11 KB / Downloads: 29)

  PM5544_hum.jpeg (Size: 219.4 KB / Downloads: 29) ]]>
It's not the first time that the PSU in this unit has fried. These rectifiers were actually RS branded replacements. These repairs must have been done when it was in use at BBC Pebble Mill. The bridge bolted to the back panel that's in one of the photos had probably been fitted at the same time. It supplies one of the analogue power rails.

I don't think much of the way the BBC fitted their favourite XLR-LNE mains inlet either.

By chance I've also been fixing a Philips LDK4210 SPG recently. The mains transformer had overheated and had shorted turns. A similar bridge had an open circuit diode. Halfwave rectification puts DC though the winding and saturates the transformer. The problem is that if there's enough margin and/or the mains voltage is high enough the unit carries on working despite the rectifier being halfwave.

  IMG_9396.jpeg (Size: 351.39 KB / Downloads: 29)

  pm5544_rectifier_board.resized.jpg (Size: 94.81 KB / Downloads: 29)

  pm5544_mains_inlet.resized.jpg (Size: 65.11 KB / Downloads: 29)

  PM5544_hum.jpeg (Size: 219.4 KB / Downloads: 29) ]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9401 Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:00:40 +0000 ppppenguin]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9401 I've had the moody COW back on the bench. Again. I'm fed up with lugging all 30kg of it back and forth between the Broadcast Engineering Museum and home. It's almost impossible to work on in-situ, especially as we don't have the correct extender boards.

https://625.uk.com/tv_logos/bbc1_85.htm

Just about every fault has been a duff 74LS377. This is an 8 bit D register, a cousin of the commonplace 74LS374. The difference is that pin 1 is a clock enable on the '377 which allows you to do proper synchronous design. I've just changed 3 on a single board, making a total of 4 on that board alone. The rail voltage is about 4.9V and there's a slow start circuit on each board. All the logic runs from a chunky 60A switchmode PSU which is set to 5.2V to allow for the slow start circuit. The COW uses about 20A.

Fortunately we've been donated some 74LS377. Nowhere near enough to do a shotgun replacement, nor would I be willing to extract 100+ of them.
[/rant]]]> I've had the moody COW back on the bench. Again. I'm fed up with lugging all 30kg of it back and forth between the Broadcast Engineering Museum and home. It's almost impossible to work on in-situ, especially as we don't have the correct extender boards.

https://625.uk.com/tv_logos/bbc1_85.htm

Just about every fault has been a duff 74LS377. This is an 8 bit D register, a cousin of the commonplace 74LS374. The difference is that pin 1 is a clock enable on the '377 which allows you to do proper synchronous design. I've just changed 3 on a single board, making a total of 4 on that board alone. The rail voltage is about 4.9V and there's a slow start circuit on each board. All the logic runs from a chunky 60A switchmode PSU which is set to 5.2V to allow for the slow start circuit. The COW uses about 20A.

Fortunately we've been donated some 74LS377. Nowhere near enough to do a shotgun replacement, nor would I be willing to extract 100+ of them.
[/rant]]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9395 Fri, 17 Jan 2025 14:48:11 +0000 ppppenguin]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9395
https://myretrostore.co.uk/product/ds1287/

Does anyone have any experience of this or other solutions?]]>
https://myretrostore.co.uk/product/ds1287/

Does anyone have any experience of this or other solutions?]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9377 Sat, 14 Dec 2024 14:38:39 +0000 Bushbaby]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9377 I tried removing the old TIP41a but alas the emitter connection snapped off with no force against it in removal (doh!!) so I can't use it.

Thanks

Rob]]> I tried removing the old TIP41a but alas the emitter connection snapped off with no force against it in removal (doh!!) so I can't use it.

Thanks

Rob]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9364 Sun, 17 Nov 2024 18:26:00 +0000 Bushbaby]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9364 I've got one thats fallen apart. I've no idea where to place the metal connector on any of the pins so that the switch can work from 1 - 10 (for use it will be following Avo valve tester 0 to 9).
The pic bellow is an example but its not the one I have.

Please help

Thanks



  Lorlin rotary switch.png (Size: 154.79 KB / Downloads: 24) ]]> I've got one thats fallen apart. I've no idea where to place the metal connector on any of the pins so that the switch can work from 1 - 10 (for use it will be following Avo valve tester 0 to 9).
The pic bellow is an example but its not the one I have.

Please help

Thanks



  Lorlin rotary switch.png (Size: 154.79 KB / Downloads: 24) ]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9349 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 14:10:50 +0000 djrm]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9349

  IMG_20241013_145351561_HDR.jpg (Size: 362.54 KB / Downloads: 38)


  IMG_20241013_145631054_HDR.jpg (Size: 206.27 KB / Downloads: 37)

I'd love to be able to find out more... David.]]>

  IMG_20241013_145351561_HDR.jpg (Size: 362.54 KB / Downloads: 38)


  IMG_20241013_145631054_HDR.jpg (Size: 206.27 KB / Downloads: 37)

I'd love to be able to find out more... David.]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9321 Fri, 09 Aug 2024 12:20:05 +0000 ppppenguin]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9321
I collected her from Lucien's store in Bedfordshire last week. The bulb must be removed for safe transport. The control gear is very heavy. Well over 100kg, possibly nearer 200kg.  I made up a wooden plinth with castors. I managed to get reconnect the bulb wrong at first. I'd swapped one of the anodes with the cathode. Didn't work at all apart from an odd flash. I'd taken photos but not enough and hadn't made notes.

Katie was made by the Nevelin company of Croydon, She originally powered a carbon arc projector for a mobile cinema. I don't have the projector. The dummy load is a large lamp, possibly a 3kW lighthouse lamp, made by Mazda. At the lowest setting Katie is delivering 40V at 20A into the lamp. There's a lot of light and even more heat.

I was hooked on mercury arc rectifiers as a very small boy. The Science Museum had two on display. One providing DC for the electrical gallery, the other could be started by pushing a button.

I used to own Gertie, a much larger 3 phase MAR: https://www.borinsky.co.uk/mars.html but didn't have any control gear. I never got round to making any and eventually sold her to another enthusiast.

I first met Katie many years ago at Lucien's parents' house in Barnet. She lived in the main living room and was often demonstrated.

At the age of 67 and three quarters I finally have a working mercury arc rectifier at home.

Photos fail to do justice to the mesmerising, shimmering glow.

  first_light_20240809.jpg (Size: 821.08 KB / Downloads: 43) ]]>
I collected her from Lucien's store in Bedfordshire last week. The bulb must be removed for safe transport. The control gear is very heavy. Well over 100kg, possibly nearer 200kg.  I made up a wooden plinth with castors. I managed to get reconnect the bulb wrong at first. I'd swapped one of the anodes with the cathode. Didn't work at all apart from an odd flash. I'd taken photos but not enough and hadn't made notes.

Katie was made by the Nevelin company of Croydon, She originally powered a carbon arc projector for a mobile cinema. I don't have the projector. The dummy load is a large lamp, possibly a 3kW lighthouse lamp, made by Mazda. At the lowest setting Katie is delivering 40V at 20A into the lamp. There's a lot of light and even more heat.

I was hooked on mercury arc rectifiers as a very small boy. The Science Museum had two on display. One providing DC for the electrical gallery, the other could be started by pushing a button.

I used to own Gertie, a much larger 3 phase MAR: https://www.borinsky.co.uk/mars.html but didn't have any control gear. I never got round to making any and eventually sold her to another enthusiast.

I first met Katie many years ago at Lucien's parents' house in Barnet. She lived in the main living room and was often demonstrated.

At the age of 67 and three quarters I finally have a working mercury arc rectifier at home.

Photos fail to do justice to the mesmerising, shimmering glow.

  first_light_20240809.jpg (Size: 821.08 KB / Downloads: 43) ]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9299 Wed, 10 Jul 2024 16:48:37 +0000 ppppenguin]]> https://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?tid=9299
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcbkyYdV2kE
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/show...ost1648431

I've met Sam a few times and been to his museum in Kent. he's utterly unstoppable. He and Lucien had become good friends - who knows what they could have achieved together had Lucien lived. Sam has taken as much of Lucien's kit as he possibly could - in other words just a small fraction of the total.]]>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcbkyYdV2kE
https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/show...ost1648431

I've met Sam a few times and been to his museum in Kent. he's utterly unstoppable. He and Lucien had become good friends - who knows what they could have achieved together had Lucien lived. Sam has taken as much of Lucien's kit as he possibly could - in other words just a small fraction of the total.]]>