# What is this



## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

As you know I like old electrical apparatus but not quite sure what this is


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## sbuck22 (Jun 14, 2012)

Looks like light fixture used for teaching.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

ampman said:


> As you know I like old electrical apparatus but not quite sure what this is
> 
> View attachment 24543
> 
> ...


That's got to be an old mercury vapor fixture .


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> That's got to be an old mercury vapor fixture .


There is two terminals at the bottom labeled p&n ( positive negative ) iam guessing


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

Homemade battery charger. Lamp for current limiting.


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## circuitman1 (Mar 14, 2013)

this was most likely part of an old TUNGAR(GE) battery charger that used a 2 amp bulb.this looks like it has been taken out of it's case.also may have been a RECTIGON (WESTINGHOUSE)charger.of the same size.they were used to charge "B" batteries in the old radios.


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## dmxtothemax (Jun 15, 2010)

Yes ! 
thats my guess too
A battery charger,
using a baretta tube for regulation.

For those who dont know what a baretta tube is ?

It was a carbon filament light bulb !
As they had a positive temp co-efficent
they where used as a crude regulator.


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

8V71 said:


> Homemade battery charger. Lamp for current limiting.





circuitman1 said:


> this was most likely part of an old TUNGAR(GE) battery charger that used a 2 amp bulb.this looks like it has been taken out of it's case.also may have been a RECTIGON (WESTINGHOUSE)charger.of the same size.they were used to charge "B" batteries in the old radios.





dmxtothemax said:


> Yes !
> thats my guess too
> A battery charger,
> using a baretta tube for regulation.
> ...


what was the clip in pic # 2 used for


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## 8V71 (Dec 23, 2011)

ampman said:


> what was the clip in pic # 2 used for


That's been bugging me, I hope someone can say. I swear I have seen that clip at some point in my life but it's just not clicking. What part of the circuit is it in?


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## wendon (Sep 27, 2010)

ampman said:


> what was the clip in pic # 2 used for


Maybe a wrist clamp to prevent static electricity???:laughing::laughing: Where's the rectifier if it's a battery charger?


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## circuitman1 (Mar 14, 2013)

if it was a 2amp as i suspect, the clip went around the base of the bulb.the two amps screwed in like an edison base bulb, & had a ring above that for the rectified portion of the current. as DMX said, they were like a regulator. they glowed like a 25 watt light bulb. the filament was only 2 to 3 volts.look on ebay for tungar or rectigon & you can find these bulbs.the 2 amp were the size of a 15 watt bulb usually. they came in 1/2,2,6,& 15 amp models. the 15 were used in movie projector power supplies, usually 4 of them.the 2 was usually for consumer use & the 6 was used in garages.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

circuitman1 said:


> if it was a 2amp as i suspect, the clip went around the base of the bulb.the two amps screwed in like an edison base bulb, & had a ring above that for the rectified portion of the current. as DMX said, they were like a regulator. they glowed like a 25 watt light bulb. the filament was only 2 to 3 volts.look on ebay for tungar or rectigon & you can find these bulbs.the 2 amp were the size of a 15 watt bulb usually. they came in 1/2,2,6,& 15 amp models. the 15 were used in movie projector power supplies, usually 4 of them.the 2 was usually for consumer use & the 6 was used in garages.


*Here is a different type of battery charger.* 



*Here is a welder which explains that clamp a whole lot more but I do think it went at the top of the rectifier bulb.*


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

Tis truly amazing we even have ancestors.


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## dmxtothemax (Jun 15, 2010)

wendon said:


> Maybe a wrist clamp to prevent static electricity???:laughing::laughing: Where's the rectifier if it's a battery charger?



The rectifier was screwed into the lamp base,
like a light bulb !
Which in essence it was !


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

LARMGUY said:


> Tis truly amazing we even have ancestors.


larmguy is all this stuff yours


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

I wish. I are Google expert.


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## five.five-six (Apr 9, 2013)

ampman said:


> As you know I like old electrical apparatus but not quite sure what this is
> 
> View attachment 24543
> 
> ...


It's actually quite valuable. It's an original Edison fleshlight.


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

five.five-six said:


> It's actually quite valuable. It's an original Edison fleshlight.


 



fleshlight ??????? :001_huh:


Try googling fleshlight ... see what you get ! :laughing:


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## ampman (Apr 2, 2009)

oldtimer said:


> fleshlight ??????? :001_huh:
> 
> 
> Try googling fleshlight ... see what you get ! :laughing:


i sure hope he meant flashlight


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

oldtimer said:


> fleshlight ??????? :001_huh:
> 
> 
> Try googling fleshlight ... see what you get ! :laughing:


Now we know what Edison was doing all those nights we thought he was working on an invention.

:whistling2::laughing:


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## circuitman1 (Mar 14, 2013)

yeap, that welder was good for 18 to 20 amps. any more than that you would destroy the bulbs!the rectifier units for theater weighed over 100 pounds.they were all kinds of spinoffs on the battery chargers, & the bulbs. the japanese use them in there stereo equipment, they can fetch up to $300 on ebay.


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## marksmith (May 9, 2013)

I think its a battery charger.

Northside Electrical


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## Medicman (Nov 11, 2021)

ampman said:


> As you know I like old electrical apparatus but not quite sure what this is
> 
> View attachment 24543
> 
> ...


Its a Tungar clock battery charging station.


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## Medicman (Nov 11, 2021)

Medicman said:


> Its a Tungar clock battery charging station.
> 
> View attachment 159625


Thats mine there


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