[ARC5] Vibrator Power Supplies

[kn7sfz]

Question for the group.

If one has a piece of equipment with vibrator supply that hasn't run for 
decades, what precautions should be made to protect the radio from any 
damage when applying power after sitting dormant for so long.  Can't 
just bring this one up on a variac.  Car radios, Gonsets, etc.

Thanks for your input.

Richard kn7sfz in Orygun



On 11/21/2017 7:41 PM, Robert Nickels wrote:
> On 11/21/2017 7:31 PM, Peter Gottlieb wrote:
>> I bet a vibrator driven supply would do a pretty decent job running a 
>> modern computer!
> I have a little contraption out in the garage which would make that 
> test pretty easy, Peter.   It's mil but I can't recall the model 
> number, but it's a vibrator type 110V inverter that runs from 24 
> volts.    I'll dig it out next time I have a chance, never really 
> thought of a use for it.
>
> The Mallory company made a line of vibrator power supply modules that 
> were sold to OEMs to save them the trouble of having to design and 
> build their own.   One of the 2Mhz marine radios I converted had one 
> inside, and it was a pretty nice compact module (about 3 by 5" and 
> maybe 4" tall) that put out 300VDC at maybe 100MA.    They were called 
> "Vibrapacks" and evidently were used by police radios, according to 
> this ad:
>
> http://members.iinet.net.au/~cool386/elkonode/rsz_vibrapack_ad.jpg
>
> The boat radio Vibrapack used a synchronous vibrator to perform 
> rectification at the same time, which is really a slick 
> electromechanical solution.   But the 0Z4 cold cathode rectifier tube 
> was also used.
>
> Lots of mobile ham transmitters were sold in the 50s which could run 
> 10-30 watts input using a vibrator supply or as much as 50 or 60 watts 
> if you used a dynamotor.    The Gonset twins and a universal mobile 
> supply made by James used heavy-duty vibrators for higher power,  
> perhaps others did also.
>
> 73, Bob W9RAN
>
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