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Post by nickf on Dec 27, 2012 13:20:38 GMT
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Post by railtechnician on Dec 27, 2012 16:54:21 GMT
Interesting, I've never come across that before. I expect the quoted 2000 hour life was far too short for practical application on the scale that LT required. The LT method was the mercury arc rectifier, sets of four in massive cubicles, each being about 6'x6'x8' in size. They were fascinating to look down upon from the galleries above in a sort of hypnotic way. Advances in semiconductor technology and switchgear meant that the LU substations built from circa 1990 onwards are much smaller and contained in prefabricated sea container units which are bolted together on site rather than purpose built traditional buildings. An entire substation can be constructed from four such containers, one of which is simply a staff mess room. |
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mrfs42
71E25683904T 172E6538094T
Big Hair Day
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Post by mrfs42 on Dec 27, 2012 17:34:48 GMT
The LT method was the mercury arc rectifier, sets of four in massive cubicles, each being about 6'x6'x8' in size. They were fascinating to look down upon from the galleries above in a sort of hypnotic way. There's still the Hewittic rectifier at Laksaa Click and Click. Self regulating fans as the trams pull the current, the cooling fan underneath spins faster. |
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rincew1nd
Administrator
Junior Under-wizzard of quiz
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Post by rincew1nd on Dec 27, 2012 19:39:27 GMT
There's still the Hewittic rectifier at Laksaa Click and Click. The man speaking in the video linked to mentions that there are still some at Groudle, do we know if these are still there? Bringing it back to LU, I'm sure I remember seeing a picture of a still functioning rectifier on one of the abandoned stations sites. |
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mrfs42
71E25683904T 172E6538094T
Big Hair Day
Posts: 5,922
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Post by mrfs42 on Dec 27, 2012 20:17:40 GMT
There's still the Hewittic rectifier at Laksaa Click and Click. The man speaking in the video linked to mentions that there are still some at Groudle, do we know if these are still there? Possibly, I haven't got any current (hahahahahaha) S/S plans for the MER, mine are about 10 years old. |
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rincew1nd
Administrator
Junior Under-wizzard of quiz
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Post by rincew1nd on Dec 27, 2012 20:25:36 GMT
Possibly, I haven't got any current (hahahahahaha) S/S plans for the MER, mine are about 10 years old. I'd forgotten it was Panto season! A bit of entry level Google-fu gives me these: Clickety click. Clickety Click!Not sure about that last one mind.... |
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
Posts: 1,275
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Post by roythebus on Jan 31, 2013 20:53:50 GMT
It used to be fun at Putney Bridge watching the substation roof light up as a train pulled out of the bay platform. Mercury arc rectifiers there!
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rincew1nd
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Junior Under-wizzard of quiz
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Post by rincew1nd on Jan 31, 2013 21:06:49 GMT
It used to be fun at Putney Bridge watching the substation roof light up as a train pulled out of the bay platform. Mercury arc rectifiers there! My Italics. Are they still there? |
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DWS
every second count's
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Post by DWS on Feb 1, 2013 9:23:07 GMT
It used to be fun at Putney Bridge watching the substation roof light up as a train pulled out of the bay platform. Mercury arc rectifiers there! My Italics. Are they still there? No. |
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Post by nickf on Apr 21, 2016 9:15:39 GMT
I am delighted to report that there has been an update on the subject of mechanical rectifiers, as discussed over three years ago here.
<<rincew1nd: Threads merged>>
Clicking on the link in the post will take you to Douglas Self's amazing website, where some additional information on mechanical rectifiers has been added recently. I can thoroughly recommend browsing around that site as many wonders are present.
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