After many years of sitting in a rack gathering dust, one of the volunteers at Cambridge museum of technology has resurrected their mercury rectifier.

It used to run a large DC Motor from the new-fangled AC mains. But this was soon superseded by a replacement.

The Rectifier has lain dormant since at least the 70’s. The Museum has managed to get a supply to the anodes and enough current via it’s ignitor circuit to get the tube lit up and working (although at much lower power).

A fantastic achievement that shows the engineering (and beauty?) of these rare devices. Much better than an odd shaped dust covered glass thingy in a rack.