[Milsurplus] Mercury Rectifiers

[Thomas Adams]

In that sort of application, there a couple of things you can do to 
make it work, that isn't too
wrong, historically speaking.

3B28 Xenon gas rectifiers are MUCH better behaved than 866A mercs; 
direct, drop-in replacements.
I plugged a pair in my Johnson Valiant transmitter; the glow is 
dimmer, and a different color, but
they do the job MUCH more reliably.

ANOTHER possibility...  the type 1616 is a vacuum version! Expect 
greater voltage drop thru these,
and a lower maximum current rating, but they should work 
nicely...  and again, they're far better
behaved than mercury rectifiers.

In my Globe King 500, I got tired of dealing with 816 mercury tubes 
in the modulator deck; they're
a royal pain in the butt!!!  I replaced them with a pair of 1616 and 
haven't had a problem since. Only
equipment modification required was changing the plate caps from 
small to large.


Mr. T., W9LBB


At 12:42 23-04-12, you wrote:
>Thanks everybody.
>
>I neglected to explain these 866s are in an MC 1 Battle Announcing system
>on a Museum Ship.
>
>We want to keep it as original as possible, but have had issues with the
>866s blowing over.
>
>Thanks all,