Who else is overjoyed at the fact this legend has started to upload again, as I know I am

"50 years of dust" Thats gonna be whoever plugs their phone into the wrong socket at your house mate

It's terrifying to think that touching anything live in that room could kill you

You bring back memories from my shipyard/engine building days in the 70's. we had six or seven of those bad boys supplying 220v DC to the overhead cranes. One morning when the outside temperature was below -10degrees celcius there was no power to the cranes. My solution, play a gas fired space heater across the length of the array of tubes until the mercury vapour was warmed enough to strike an arc. The Director asked me why there were no cranes operating. Electricity is frozen I told him. Called me a stupid boy, but I knew better, after half an hour of gentle warming they, one by one, fired up into full operation. Happy days, thanks for bringing it all back.

Old intro? Ahh yes. The nostalgia.

"This rectifier set can do a million watts, and this rectifier set can do a million volts" Now we're talking baby

13:33 "You gotta be mad, to have one of these in your living room" Mad respect my good chap.

This type of Rectifier was used in Melbourne Australia to produce 1500V DC for the Electric trains , there were 7 of these H&H glass bulb rectifiers across the network in 1970's the last was de-commissioned in 1981 . There were large fans below each bank of 4 bulbs and as the load increased on the rectifier unit the fans speed increased till it reached maximum speed . It was an extremely noisy environment that was extremely hot in the summer but nicely warm in the winter. if ever there was a dangerous device these has it all , if they ever broke mercury finished up on the floor and every where it was quite a job to transport them with special crates, it took 3 people to hold and slowly invert the bulb while the pool of mercury was also inverted. It was quite spectacular to see but by today's standards very hazardous I was glad to see the last of them . Railway substation had Rectifier units made up of a Transformer with an output of 12 single phase's connected to a bank of 4 bulbs and a large 12"fuse each phase along with associated protection relays in the Rectifier control cubical (64, 64A, 86, 86X, 30 ) . I also remember two large extraction fans for cooling built into the substation wall . The excitation and the striker was used to create the mercury vapor in the bulb it's all history now. Be careful with mercury keep it in a well vented area. Thanks for the video !

Didn't expect an unboxing video on this channel. How very modern of you!

"Use the skippy button" Nah bro. Im in this for the whole video.

Thanks for this. I have memories from when i was an apprentice electrician at the BR Carriage Works in York, 60's to 70's. At one point i was assigned to the maintainance department for the works, which was also attached to the main transformer station for the works You can imagine a huge amount of power needed. The works had two traversers which would traverse the carriages from out of one shop into another. At the time these were still powered by 400Volts DC. In the transformer station was a large metal containerprobably about 6 foot x 6 foot x 8 foot high. Painted dark blue with a sign saying 'THE TARDIS'. Emanating from above was blue/ ultaviot flashing light and a strange science fiction film sound. When the door was opened it was a sight to behold. 6 of the above mercury rectifiers. No doubt we should have been wearing dark glasses and sun cream . At the time i had no idea of how they worked, so cheers for this.

Happy Days, I'm old enough (82) to have worked on mercury arc rectifiers. Steel works where we had 500 volt DC and 250 volt systems. Can't remember the rating of the rectifiers, Big yokes in metal cabinets. This brings back som happy memories, thank you ☘️🇮🇪☘️

"this video is a bit long" That's what we want, fella.

You can tell he's grown up boys. He's protecting the carpet with plastic

The glasswork on these is truly magnificent. All vacuum tubes are gorgeous in my eyes. But, mercury arc rectifiers are just down right sexy. Thank you for sharing this amazing experience with us.

Ah! Takes me back to the start of my career in broadcast transmitters. The more modern transmitters then (250kW carrier power) used Excitron mercury arc rectifiers. They had 2 banks of 6 Excitrons, with the transformer windings arranged to give 12 phase rectification. Output was 11kV DC - the radio part of the transmitter took about 26 amps, and the high level Class B modulator another 15 amps depending on audio level (approx - from my memory). The rectifiers were in a cabinet with glass windows so you could see that lovely blue glow as the arcs were struck - then the light output would vary with the audio modulation. Quite spectacular when the Greenwish Time Signals 6 pips came on (they modulated the transmitters to 100%) - the extra current draw caused lights to dip in the nearby town in step with the time signal! Oh, and the older transmitters (built during the 1940s) used mercury arc rectifiers in massive steel tanks with continuous pumping to produce the required vacuum. They used grid control to vary the output as required. Incredible to think about now!

No one skips your videos, sir. We do appreciate your humility though.

This really takes me back. In 1995 I was doing a job at the old Simpson's building in downtown Toronto and one of the maintenance guys was leading me to the area where I was to drop my delivery. We passed this area that was significantly hotter than the others and there was this dreadful humming/buzzing sound. I asked what was up and he smiled, passed me a long lab coat and dark goggles and took me to a bank of cabinets. They looked like industrial lockers only much larger. He opened one up and there was a massive mercury rectifier running and he explained it was powering a good portion of the building. This thing was huge and he told me that it contained around 50lbs of mercury. I knew these things were really old tech and I was shocked to see one still in active use. then I looked to the side and saw the bank of similar cabinets and realised this one was not alone.

That extra special touch -> "Please handle with EVERY care!" That makes me smile.

Having worked in a 50 year old power station and been through various store rooms, I know exactly what that thing would smell like when you unboxed it

"I'd like to arrange a life insurance policy" "Certainly, sir. What are you main hobbies and occupaions?"

The engineering involved with old things like is amazing. But can we just take a moment to think about the master glass blower that had to make that assembly, and the people who installed the metal parts to it. They mass produced these.

You're a brave man having a cat in there.

This is why history is so interesting. This was the norm at one point and that's fascinating to me.

when the solar flares hit, this guy will put England back on the grid.

If this isn't the best come back on youtube, I don't know what is.

21:40 The small bubbles that appear on the interior glass surface of a mercury arc rectifier after some time are typically due to a phenomenon known as mercury vaporization or mercury spitting. This can occur due to the high temperatures and pressures present inside the device during operation. When the mercury arc rectifier is in use, the mercury in the arc is heated significantly, causing some amount of mercury to vaporize and become gaseous. These mercury vapors can then condense on cooler surfaces such as the glass interior of the device, forming small bubbles. This phenomenon can be more pronounced if there are leaks in the device or if it is operated under abnormal conditions, resulting in increased mercury consumption and the formation of more bubbles. It is important to note that mercury vapors are toxic and should be avoided from being inhaled. If significant condensation of mercury vapors or an increased formation of bubbles is observed, it may indicate issues with the device's integrity or operating conditions. In such cases, it is recommended to cease the use of the mercury arc rectifier

You could open your house as a museum for electricians. Well, i'm no electrician (yet) but I love hearing the history of it all.

The transformer noise is labeled as "music" in the generated subtitles. It is indeed.

This style of content is how youtube should have stayed as!

These were used in the early experimental British Rail 25kV AC electric locos. The production locos that became class 86 used Si rectifiers. Have never seen one run so this is quite fascinating.

WoW That was literally a once in a lifetime experience. Thank you so much for letting us see such cool old-school things. I'll never forget how awesome that was. Thanks again.

Fuck yeah! The "classic" intro is back!

I was gutted when I got outbid on this…… but then I see Andy is back and he has brought it. Now very happy!!!!!

your editing is a breath of fresh air, so please dont stop making videos this way.

Early tech is both fascinating and scary! Can't even imagine the wild ways they managed to do things with what they had back then vs now.

"use the little bar to skip around to the points you're looking for" bro im here for the whole video

That was one of the most "belongs in a mad-scientist's lab" looking devices I've ever seen. Thanks for the educational bits - really interesting to see this old tech in action and to learn how it works.

A collaboration between Photoninduction and the Slow Mo Guys would be amazing! I'm thinking of all the amazing footage from both their combined knowledge in their respective fields.

I am seriously impressed. A few questions. 1) Would you please publish the listed specs for this device? 2) What is the best feature of a mercury arc rectifier? (cleaner output, lower temperature, high capacity, easily handles current surges) 3) It would be nice if you published your results, AC input, AC current, DC output, DC current, Output waveform, etc. Hope to see another video like this.

The old intro is pure gold. Was a joy to see it again.

its so nice... looks like someone would use it to bring a monster to life

An unboxing vid about ... a mercury rectifier. Now that really is something different from the masses of unboxing vids!

Anyone else think the Three Dots should make a comeback in post-production? They're just a part of the videos as anything else 😄

“Use the little skipping button” Uh sir excuse me but I never skip through content I enjoy

idk what it is but i love the more classic style of editing, feels more retro

When I joined London Transport in 1979, as a substation tech, many of the original substations still had these working.. Very eerie, but comforting on a nightshift. Sadly most had been converted over to SCR by 1981.

Please come back to YT . Of course only do so if it brings you joy. You're the reason I got into Electrical. While I'm nowhere near as versed as you are, it fulfills my "need/wants" of cranking the voltage till it pops at the factories I've been tasked to work at.

giving off some serious mad scientist vibes

When this dude returns, he doesn't mess around!

The signature intro/outro music, i will never get tired of hearing that.

They really are a work of art that should be shown in museums but you can't get the workmanship these days to make em :D Cheers.

I didn't even noticed how much I've missed this channel until he got back.

"Ya gotta be mad to have one of these in your living room" But... but photon you have like *three*

That is the coolest thing I've ever seen, not even joking. I had no idea these even existed until now. Thank you for this! You are a legend.

Wow, I was expecting it to be the size of a light bulb. Look at that thing!!! Imagine what electrical equipment used to look like 100 years ago, totally futuristic!!!

You know its old when the "Handle with Care" sticker has Please and Thank You on it

I appreciate that you showed us this piece of history. That you handled it so gently and respected it, called it art. That you keep it safe in the original box. Collector excellent...

All roads lead to Rome in the same way all AM radio interference leads to this room...! That aside, they're fascinating things to watch. Thanks for posting.

I remember that there was a Big Wheel, owned by McArdle's, on Cleethorpes beach, for many years. As a child in the 1960's I could never afford to ride on it, but was quite happy to stand and watch the Mercury arc rectifiers glowing merrily, and the glow changing as the wheel was started and stopped. That rectifier had been running since at least 1948, and it was still in use in the late 1970's. 30 years of running was not unusual for those rectifiers, if they were used properly.

"use your little skippy button to get to the best bit" no, i don't think i will.

This dudes bong collection is off the chain!!

Wish I had one in my living room. Thank you for sharing this magnificent treasure.

My God. This thing is beautiful. I haven't really got a clue what it does. Eventhough this is old technology, it actually looks other worldly. Things must have looked and sounded so different all those years ago ! Great video. thanks for sharing :-)

We have a saying for children that translates to "Everything for the eyes, nothing for the hands" regarding museums and exhibitions. I think this room is the manifestation of that sentiment.

I have so much respect for this mans knowledge. Electricity terrifies me.

Amazing to see how they did things back in the "old" days...That thing is a pure work of art not to mention a functional piece of tech!

"You gotta be mad, to have one of these in your living room" Oh, I dunno, 'tis a thing of beauty. The 11Kv transformer though..........😯

It's such a shame none of this stuff is used any more. It's absolutely beautiful and mind blowing such dangerous elegance.

Seeing that little spark dance around on the mercury is so nice, I could watch this all day too.

“Are you bored with it yet ?” .... Never ! You might just be mad but in the best way possible. I did not realize the solenoid was only needed to start the rectifier and all you needed was to get the ( dippy thingy ) bouncing with a hand held magnet. Very enjoyable!

Mate that intro music is so nostalgic, you inspired me to become an electrician, your a legend

I remember asking for a demo of this about 5 years ago. Now my dream has come true. :-)

"Better than TV, innit?" -No doubt about it! 😉

Was expecting to hear "WHERE'S MY HAMMER? I AIN'T HAVIN IT!" A photonic vid without destruction is a rare thing indeed!

The Glass blowers that made these, and many more electrical and sientific equipment are true craftsmen of the highest order. It's lovely to see old equipment in use, after so many years after they were made. Nowadays everything seems to be throw away after a couple of years,,, if your lucky. Thanks for this vid, I totally enjoyed it.

I love these old mercury rectifiers! They look so utterly "mad-scientist". And this is probably the best footage of one running that I've ever seen. We're all so lucky PhotonicInduction is uploading again. He is absolutely legendary!!!

Where would one ever see and learn about this cool shit…? You’re a fucking legend, mate! Glad you’re back!

Those tubes are so beautiful in action. I can't thank you enough, you've probably saved my family from mercury poisoning.

Huge fan of big Clive but photon really brings the level up a notch. Talk about quality content

Items needed: 1: Old Castle. 2: Assistant with hump. 3: Freshly buried corpses. 😂

The local power station ... Oh no, he's back

Used to use them in thr Royal Navy to convert 440v 3 phase to DC usually in diesel submarines which had AC generators (smaller and lighter than DC generators). We had one at the training school, HMS Collingwood, it was kept in a cupboard for dramatic effect with its weird glow. Ours was known as the "rabbit" for its shape, the electrodes were in the ears.

The 50/100 Hz hum is delicious to my ears !

This would be the perfect decoration at a Halloween party for a mad scientist.

Did anyone else lean back from the screen when he was showing the components of the 11kV power supply up close??

I am amazed that such an old-fashioned looking device was in production as late as 1969! I would have guessed that it was at least 20 years older. Was this actually new in 1969, I wonder? I used to live near the old Hackbridge and Hewittic works at Hersham, now the site of Air Products Ltd, (or it was then).

Can you imagine a day when THIS was the heart of your 200,000 watt AM radio station?

I swear, photonic's collection. EVERY. And I mean. EVERY little one thing in that room is a functional trophy. I haven't seen more than half of the stuff he's shown.

"i could watch this all day. - it's better than TV, innit?!" well, nearly everything is better than TV nowadays anyway, but it sure really is awesome. wouldn't mind having this as party lights :) chill and fascinating, spectacular at the same time.

Amazing you got a new-old-stock mercury arc rectifier! That is really a work of art as much as an electronic device. Thanks so much for sharing with us. So pleasing! Nice that you'e replacing the missing Aquadag on the anodes, as well.

Imagine your neighbours were into ham radios 🤣 they’d have a shit time

This LEGENDARY Englishman is Rectifying ALL THREE of his 50 year-old Phases.

I've wanted to see these running for years! Thanks, Andy!

The Mercury Arc Rectifier video was one of my favorites you've done. I am so happy you brought it back. It is the really emphasizes the beauty of electrical engineering.

The Isle of Man Electric railway used these until only a few years ago. I remember seeing them when I was last there! You could see when the motor on the train was pulling some amps as it would light up really bright! Bit of trivia, if you have ever seen a fluorescent lamp which is dark at one end, it has a damaged electrode on one side and it is rectifying just like this and the DC is causing all the mercury to migrate to one end of the lamp hence why it's gone dark!

I'm a clueless layman and still I felt weirdly privileged to witness that.

I am very happy that you are putting more explanation into how electrical devices work and why. Cheers.

Really interesting. Brought back some good memories. We had one of those as a battery charger and it was still in use in the 90s when I left London Transport.

This is probably Electroboom's favourite video.