One for the historians

[MarkieSparkie]

Rotary Converters supplying large amounts of DC power to a steel mill, electroplate works, rail/tramway or local converter substation for DC network supply (Weymouth was using them for it's local authority DC town network up until the early 1960s).

 

[Knobhead]

OK thats that sorted, how about this?

View attachment 13310

 

[MarkieSparkie]

Ahh! I'm getting quite nostalgic Tony. That's a Mercury Arc Rectifier. We used to have several of those beauties at our plant supplying the DC for the standby battery banks.

 

[Knobhead]

Things of beauty, ours supplied the general plant DC load. The more load the brighter they glowed. I could watch them for hours. Wasn’t to keen when one of the open type breakers tripped on O/L. I was near in need of a pair of Pampers.
We had two mercury arc’s and two rotary converters, the power house was like a museum.

 

[Bobster]

We had a mercury arc on the site I served my apprentiship. Never got to see it run, I'm too young.

 

[HandySparks]

If you're near SW London, the Kempton water pumping station is worth a visit. Home to the world's largest fully operational Triple Expansion Steam Engine. They only steam the working engine occasionally:
Kempton Steam Engine Trust

They've recently installed a couple of mercury arc rectifiers to replace some that were damaged when the site was closed:
Kempton Steam Engine: Home

 

[Knobhead]

Thanks for the links

 

[jaresquire]

You gotta love the sort of kit that that they used to put in horror movies.
I strive to make all my jobs look like that!

 

[bomjac]

Found one still in use (or it was in 2011) in the Isle of Man. Kind of a 1/20th scale model of the ones we had in the Steelworks for the Ore Bridge cranes (2kA @ 500V DC full load if my memory is correct). It was a spooky room to be sure.

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