To learn electronics in a very different and effective way, and gain access to Mr Carlson's personal designs and inventions, visit the Mr Carlson's Lab Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/MrCarlsonsLab
About 40 years ago, I was visiting Grandpa and we planned to take out his 1930 Model A Ford the next day. He needed to put the battery on charge...and brought out a charger VERY similar to this one! I remember the Tungar bulb and the angry hum. Thank you for taking me down memory lane.
@@kd5byb I had a smaller version of a charger like this, maybe from the 40s. It didn't work and I was only about 13 or 14 with a very rudimentary knowledge of electrical at the time. This was in the late 80s so the charger was an antique even then. What I remember most was a gigantic label on the side explaining how the tube inside it (same as this one) *could not be used for any other purpose under penalty of law*. The warning label is what makes me think it might have been mid 40s (war time) as perhaps it could have been used for something nefarious. I didn't know how to test it properly, the tube illuminated but no power came out the DC terminals and it probably got thrown away when my parents cleared out my bedroom when I left home.
(IIRC) HV tubes could release a large amount of X-rays and in old tube chassis TV sets, these tubes would be kept in it's own metal enclosure seperate from the lower voltage vacuum tubes. But in this case it would be mercury being the most concern which is very hazardous indoors. I'm wondering if a tube like this also (can) puts out a dangerous amount of X-ray radiation? 🤔 - by autosensoring this reply, YT automatically agrees that it's bullying and harassing me thus causing me lasting psychological harm.
Let's restore it; full wiring replacement, control switch rebuild, gauge renovation, and paint. Awesome find. We enjoy your channel --- thanks again for your instruction.
I could quite believe the time machine part, your stock of tubes and other parts from that era is just like traveling back to a radio shop way back when. The amount of stuff I've learned from your videos is incredible, i value your content greatly.
Yep, that thing was living on a shop wall for decades, because it was just dead reliable. The battery clamps have probably been changed and reattached a dozen times over it's life!
Ian, it is wonderful how an old bit of kit can take us to a memory which would otherwise be lost, that is why I hold onto what other see as junk. Best to you from Wirral UK
In the mid seventies, I worked for a company here in the UK that made battery chargers. We built all sizes of rectifier sets, from a few amps, up to several thousand amps. I thought that I had seen just about every kind of rectifier; from mercury arc, to selenium plate, to thyristors. Never heard of the 'Tungar bulb'. Thanks for showing this unit. Yes, this deserves a restoration!
Rare item to see as many went to scrap drives in WWII. Finding a new Tungar bulb and the literature for the charger is amazing feat in itself! I think this thing was mounted as a wall mount if you notice the " L" brackets along the back. So cool to see it's operation even unrestored! Restore it to a safe level Paul. That would be awesome.
I am a bulb collector and have a few chargers and Tungar and Rectigon bulbs. The Tungar is GE, Rectigon is Westinghouse. There were smaller ones with medium bases, and I believe I have a charger with 2 of the smaller bulbs for full-wave rectification instead of just one for half-wave. These aren’t rare. Still tons out there. Can be had pretty cheap too. Just old car repair garage no longer used obsolete tools. The half wave units buzz so loud because of the half wave rectifier making the transformer and choke, made for 60 cycle, run at 30 cycle, and vibrate. A fluorescent ballast will do the same thing when one cathode at one end fails and the lamp only conducts one direction, when at end of life. The lamp and ballast rectify at 30 cycles. The strobing flicker is another thing indicating a rectifying lamp. Cheers! 😂👍🏻
Not so. It still runs at 60 cps. The dc saturates the transformer which greatly increases the primary magnetizing current. The core vibrates loudly to make the 60 cycle hum. The normal hum from transformers is 120 cps and is much quieter. This is an octave higher.
That thing is right out of a Frankenstein movie. The hum is deep, throaty, and ominous like boiling Merlot, with a touch of mid-50's sci-fi flick thrown in.
Yes, you need to repair and restore this charger. I like that you always find the manual and schematics for any kind of old equipment. Back then right to repair was not even exists. Everything was repairable, I remember my grandfather replacing vacuum tubes in the old telefunken radio. Every information was in the manual.
Yes Paul, I certainly would like to see you restore it. Especially since, I'm 91, and it is 93 I think that would be cool.😄 All the best from Gene in Tennessee.
i cant say i speak for everyone, but im sure almost everyone will agree with me, we will watch you restore any and all things simply because this is interesting to watch. between you and CuriousMarc i get to watch lots of old things brought back to life. i will never say "i dont want to see that restored" i enjoy watching the entire process. so yes i want to see this restored lol.
I just found a very nice Eico battery charger at the dump last week. It is in great shape and still works perfectly. It has to be from the late 50's to early 60's made. What a great find.
It looks much better than any modern day charger would look in 93 years. It would probably be just dust. They never heard of built-in obsolescence in those days, they built things to last.
I freaking love that thing Mr.Carlson! I most certainly think it deserves a full restoration. I absolutely love that kind of old electronic equipment. It’s amazing to think about the fact that that old stuff can still get the job done nearly 100 years later.
Definitely would love to see it restored. BUT please keep the outside patina as it is! with this look and with the internals brought back to original spec this would be such a perfect museum piece. Thank you for the videos!
Restore it Mr. C! I am in the industrial battery industry and have seen all kinds of different battery chargers during my 30 year career. This is one of the coolest examples worthy of living in all its former glory!
This kind of thing reminds me of Strong's Garage, repairing old cars using period-correct tools. I can just imagine this being used to charge a battery from a Ford Model A. Wonderful stuff.
I think a really cool project would be to restore the enclosure, repair the switch, replace the glass on the ammeter and ad just enough modern wiring and circuitry to make it safe for use with modern equipment. So if you could keep the tube rectifier but maybe add a better "backend" (New 3-prong grounded power cord, replace any damaged wiring? better voltage/current regulation? Filter caps? Fuse(s) or maybe circuit breaker(s)?) It's just such a cool enclosure it would be awesome to see it updated for modern (er safe) usage!
I would like to see this restored. It works as it should. Those old school battery chargers can deliver one hell of a charge. The garages who had them would unscrew the cell caps to check electrolyte levels and see if the separator plates were caked in sulphur. They could also tell if one of the cells was shorted by looking at the colour of the electrolyte. Using the current meter on the battery charger, you can tell if the battery is getting close to full charge by looking at the amount of current it is taking.
I have a 1925 Model T Ford and great to think something like this may have been in service at the time, really would like to see it fully restored. Thanks for the video.
You've got guts. That was impressive. Usually if I hear something humming that loud I run while pulling the plug. I've never had anything good happen after hearing a 60 decibel 60 cycle hum.
Working Tungar tubes in 2024 are really antique things on their own since the era of Tungar bulbs came to an end in late 1930s. But a whole working device with a Tungar in it in 2024 that's just a miracle! (telling this as a happy owner of 2 Tungar bulbs, one of which is almost 100 years old - Glz 40/3S) Of course it deserves a full restoration/renovation, and you as an owner have full rights to decide the amount of work on restoration/renovation is to be done - either to just fix the switch and check out the wires connections (i.e. to save the traces of time) or to disassemble the device completely and then to do as much as possible to make it look even better than it was brand new 90+ years before. I personally would prefer the second way, but I also know really well what a HUGE amount of time, efforts, patience, and skills it demands. So yeah, this is up to you what to do with it =) Though I'm sure almost everyone here would like to take a closer look to the insides of this almost one hundred years old device! =D It is really interesting to see and know how they made it in those days
I definitely want to see a full electronic restoration of this charger. However, I would personally prefer if you didn’t paint it up but just cleaned it and kept it and it’s pretty much current state. Just get it working like it used to and looking old with the wonderful patina it has.
It would be nice, but a complete restoration would be better, materials degrade over time, and if this is a unique item, it wouldn't be nice to keep it degraded like this!
They sure don't build things like they used to. It's astonishing that this charger is still in perfect functional order despite its age and condition! I bet if you hooked it to a dead car battery right as it is it'd charge that battery right up no problem. Definitely deserves a proper restoration. Still, it's absolutely amazing that it is still functional all these years later.
I know it's a simple circuit but in that condition I'm amazed it worked. Good to restore as an example of how earlier chargers worked and how they were constructed.
Jeez. If I tried something like this, the transformer would short out after 5 seconds and fill the lab with smoke. Where the heck do you find this stuff 😅
@@chucklemken8639There is a saying at the Hamvention that you don’t dare leave your flea market table unattended or it will have more stuff on when you get back than when you left it.
I have the exact same charger. Still works, but I need to place a small wooden wedge behind the wooden knob to keep it securely in position. Came to me via my father and grandfather, who said it was originally used to charge the batteries of the fire trucks in his small town.
No way, even the meter worked! And look at that beautiful drawing in the manual 😍 What's the type for this special fuse? p.s. Happy to see Mr. Carlson feeling lit again 🔥 These recent videos give such great energy and humour, a joy to watch!
Paul, You gotta restore that great old beast. I do wonder if the output is half wave rectified like "modern" battery chargers. Also, is there a good reason for the half wave. Thx.
That thing is cool, and absolutely it should be restored. I also can't believe that not only did you plug it in but it actually worked, I expected sparks, magic smoke, and a BANG. You have guts sir! And... I can just imagine Electroboom with one of these...
That presupposes there will be anyone around in 100 years. The long term outlook for our species is not looking very bright at this point. You and I will never know without a time machine though. Or will we?
@@1pcfred One hundred years isn't all that long. I have little doubt we will make it that long. Another thousand years, yeah, probably, in some way, shape or form. 10k? Maybe, maybe not. Cro-Magnon people were around 10k years ago. So were Neanderthals. Maybe another robust species will have budded off our gracile lineage by then? Another 100k? Not as the same species we know in its current form, that's for sure. Maybe more in a Wellsian definition of the word "human". Now if we're talking _civilization,_ that's another matter entirely. Civilization is a lot easier to destroy than an entire species. To quote Einstein: "We don't know what weapons the 3rd World War will be fought with, but the fourth will be fought with clubs and stones".
General Electric Tungar charger. My dad had a larger version of this that hung on our garage wall for 50 years. It had two Tungar tubes, two meters, two variable controls instead of the one, and it had two "High/Low" switches. I think it was capable of charging an insane number of 6V batteries in series - perhaps 48. Dad cautioned to NEVER turn those switches to Hi. I sold it on Ebay.
Just an amazing video in terms of a unique and intriguing topic!...would like to know more about the history and who manufactured these chargers!!...definitely worth restoring!!!
I believe I saw something like that in my grandmother's basement when I was a boy. I knew vaguely what it was but didn't know enough to keep it when the house was sold. Also found a 1930s Delineascope slide projector she used as a teaching aid in her high school English classes during that era. We still have that somewhere - I will have to dig it out and restore it. By all means, Paul, restore the old battery charger. Any Model T owner would be proud to have it mounted on his garage wall.
You are one cool guy, if I had that charger it would have gone to the scrap pile. I worked in a repair shop in the 70s, we had one of these chargers, I remember the tube and the noise. Thanks for the video, and bringing it back to life.
My electronics guru, Ed Jeffries, rest in peace grew up as a Nebraska farm boy. They had power to one pole out in their yard after REA (Rural Electrification Administration) came through. His Dad had one of those General Electric battery chargers. It stayed on his wall in his shop from when I first knew him in 2004 until he passed about 2015. IT WORKED. He fixed many many fancy chargers for floor scrubber machines, and Pulse Width Modulated motor speed controllers for my business. For fun he helped me with many innovations on MIG welding machines. - All of which took Ed back in time to the single pole in his childhood farmyard. The taught himself to weld using unshielded steel baling wire with 110AC line power! Doesn't seem possible but Ed said he repaired some small stuff that way - so I believe it happened.
Fricking awesome! Hmm. I think I'd probably have checked the AC volts on those crocodile clips as well as the DC volts, before grabbing hold of them. Yes, the thing does have a pretty convincing rectifier tube in it, but I'd still be wary! Please restore this wonderful artifact!
Yes! Definitely need to see this charger restored. AND...I REALLY REALLY REALLY need to see you fire up that monster transmitting tube!!!! I'm really curious about its details. What a monster!
![1920s Rare Battery Charger [Restoration]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/60RTSNMrcOE/mqdefault.jpg)
To learn electronics in a very different and effective way, and gain access to Mr Carlson's personal designs and inventions, visit the Mr Carlson's Lab Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/MrCarlsonsLab
100% do it It is so very cool! Explain the reactor also plzzz
Yes, a restoration is requested. It's nice to see that older gear in working condition. Can't wait for the video, Thank you 👍
I was waiting for you to measure the voltage drop across your resistors and do the math to double check the old amp meter for accuracy.
That's awesome vintage battery charger very cool
Worth Restoring vintage very cool enjoyed the video
Where did you find that thing?! Of course we want to see it restored, and charging a battery. Go for it!
I got mine on ebay.
What he said! We wanna see some spicy new cloth-spun wires in there! And we want to see that reactor up close!
He got it down at the old radio shop....
@@feynthefallen I'd be more concerned by asbestos voltage droppers, these antiques can be dangerous in various ways.
@@TheeMuseumofjunk It's just a transformer, mercury rectifier tube, and a fat inductor to act as a choke.
About 40 years ago, I was visiting Grandpa and we planned to take out his 1930 Model A Ford the next day. He needed to put the battery on charge...and brought out a charger VERY similar to this one! I remember the Tungar bulb and the angry hum. Thank you for taking me down memory lane.
I forgot to add - I'd love to see this restored.
@@kd5byb I had a smaller version of a charger like this, maybe from the 40s. It didn't work and I was only about 13 or 14 with a very rudimentary knowledge of electrical at the time. This was in the late 80s so the charger was an antique even then. What I remember most was a gigantic label on the side explaining how the tube inside it (same as this one) *could not be used for any other purpose under penalty of law*. The warning label is what makes me think it might have been mid 40s (war time) as perhaps it could have been used for something nefarious. I didn't know how to test it properly, the tube illuminated but no power came out the DC terminals and it probably got thrown away when my parents cleared out my bedroom when I left home.
@@mrbyamile6973 That's problematic as the tube is full of mercury.
(IIRC) HV tubes could release a large amount of X-rays and in old tube chassis TV sets, these tubes would be kept in it's own metal enclosure seperate from the lower voltage vacuum tubes. But in this case it would be mercury being the most concern which is very hazardous indoors. I'm wondering if a tube like this also (can) puts out a dangerous amount of X-ray radiation? 🤔
- by autosensoring this reply, YT automatically agrees that it's bullying and harassing me thus causing me lasting psychological harm.
@@tripplefives1402 Which tube is filled with mercury?
Yes restoration is needed as it maybe one of a kind very rare and fantastic find and learned something great to watch and learned thanks Mike
Glad you enjoyed it
@@MrCarlsonsLab Awesome, definitely deserves a full restoration, I'm really looking forward to it 👍
Nice day 🙂Tom
Let's restore it; full wiring replacement, control switch rebuild, gauge renovation, and paint. Awesome find. We enjoy your channel --- thanks again for your instruction.
Nothing short of miraculous to restore that thing! I love your channel, and am a long time subscriber!
I could quite believe the time machine part, your stock of tubes and other parts from that era is just like traveling back to a radio shop way back when. The amount of stuff I've learned from your videos is incredible, i value your content greatly.
Thank You for your kind feedback!
Mr. Carlson is one person I'd actually believe to have a time-machine. Looks like a fun restoration project.
“That’s got some time on it” is the quote of the day.
Yep, that thing was living on a shop wall for decades, because it was just dead reliable.
The battery clamps have probably been changed and reattached a dozen times over it's life!
This definitely deserves a full restoration. Such a neat old charger. Look forward to seeing it in a future video.
Restoration positive. My father (RIP Dad x) was born in 1930, and I'd love to see this restored to view his era. Fantastic project
Thanks Mr C
Ian, UK
Ian, it is wonderful how an old bit of kit can take us to a memory which would otherwise be lost, that is why I hold onto what other see as junk. Best to you from Wirral UK
@WOFFY-qc9te Thank you
In the mid seventies, I worked for a company here in the UK that made battery chargers.
We built all sizes of rectifier sets, from a few amps, up to several thousand amps.
I thought that I had seen just about every kind of rectifier; from mercury arc, to selenium plate, to thyristors.
Never heard of the 'Tungar bulb'. Thanks for showing this unit.
Yes, this deserves a restoration!
Rare item to see as many went to scrap drives in WWII. Finding a new Tungar bulb and the literature for the charger is amazing feat in itself! I think this thing was mounted as a wall mount if you notice the " L" brackets along the back. So
cool to see it's operation even unrestored! Restore it to a safe level Paul. That would be awesome.
I am a bulb collector and have a few chargers and Tungar and Rectigon bulbs. The Tungar is GE, Rectigon is Westinghouse. There were smaller ones with medium bases, and I believe I have a charger with 2 of the smaller bulbs for full-wave rectification instead of just one for half-wave. These aren’t rare. Still tons out there. Can be had pretty cheap too. Just old car repair garage no longer used obsolete tools. The half wave units buzz so loud because of the half wave rectifier making the transformer and choke, made for 60 cycle, run at 30 cycle, and vibrate. A fluorescent ballast will do the same thing when one cathode at one end fails and the lamp only conducts one direction, when at end of life. The lamp and ballast rectify at 30 cycles. The strobing flicker is another thing indicating a rectifying lamp. Cheers! 😂👍🏻
Not so. It still runs at 60 cps. The dc saturates the transformer which greatly increases the primary magnetizing current. The core vibrates loudly to make the 60 cycle hum. The normal hum from transformers is 120 cps and is much quieter. This is an octave higher.
This ABSOLUTELY needs a restoration! OMG what a crazy piece of history! Mr Carlson - YOU Sir are the electronics wizard I always wanted to be!
Bring it to American Restoration in Las Vegas (like that TV show, they would screw up even more). lol
Watching from Brazil! Please restore! I've been watching your videos all week, it's been my daily program!
RESTORE! RESTORE! RESTORE! The thing is screaming steampunk.
Perfect timing for the new video,just sat back to relax ....9.30pm here in Scotland.
Now 22.33 in Peterhead.
That thing is right out of a Frankenstein movie. The hum is deep, throaty, and ominous like boiling Merlot, with a touch of mid-50's sci-fi flick thrown in.
I would also love to see this charger rehabilitated!!
Yes, you need to repair and restore this charger. I like that you always find the manual and schematics for any kind of old equipment. Back then right to repair was not even exists. Everything was repairable, I remember my grandfather replacing vacuum tubes in the old telefunken radio. Every information was in the manual.
Mr. Carlson's next project is restoring Mr. Peabody's Way-back machine.
Yes Paul, I certainly would like to see you restore it. Especially since, I'm 91, and it is 93 I think that would be cool.😄 All the best from Gene in Tennessee.
Hello Mr. Gene!
I'd get a "charge" out of a restoration, Paul. What a piece of history!
i cant say i speak for everyone, but im sure almost everyone will agree with me,
we will watch you restore any and all things simply because this is interesting to watch. between you and CuriousMarc i get to watch lots of old things brought back to life. i will never say "i dont want to see that restored" i enjoy watching the entire process. so yes i want to see this restored lol.
Thank You for your kind comment!
I just found a very nice Eico battery charger at the dump last week. It is in great shape and still works perfectly. It has to be from the late 50's to early 60's made. What a great find.
I would love to see the restore of this ol' charger. What a fine piece to see it work again
It looks much better than any modern day charger would look in 93 years. It would probably be just dust. They never heard of built-in obsolescence in those days, they built things to last.
It deserves a full restoration Paul !!!
I freaking love that thing Mr.Carlson! I most certainly think it deserves a full restoration. I absolutely love that kind of old electronic equipment. It’s amazing to think about the fact that that old stuff can still get the job done nearly 100 years later.
Yes this WAS the way a young aircraft company started doing it right Boeing,
Maybe Boeing should start watching Mr. Carlson’s Lab hint hint!
Mrister Carlsons lab your antique Battery charger is awesome my friend from 1931
Not only is electronic restoration to my liking but cabinets and other hardware being revitalized is cool too. So GO FOR IT!
Definitely would love to see it restored. BUT please keep the outside patina as it is! with this look and with the internals brought back to original spec this would be such a perfect museum piece. Thank you for the videos!
Restore it Mr. C! I am in the industrial battery industry and have seen all kinds of different battery chargers during my 30 year career. This is one of the coolest examples worthy of living in all its former glory!
Restore that lovely piece of equipment 👍👍👍
This kind of thing reminds me of Strong's Garage, repairing old cars using period-correct tools. I can just imagine this being used to charge a battery from a Ford Model A. Wonderful stuff.
Somewhere there is a guy with his Model A parked in his period-correct barn garage - he’d love to have this mounted on the wall. 👍
I would NOT have tried powering that thing up with no repairs. He goes out on the thin ice for the channel! 🙂
Absolutely a restoration Paul !! Seeing these old devices, really brings a smile to my face.
I think a really cool project would be to restore the enclosure, repair the switch, replace the glass on the ammeter and ad just enough modern wiring and circuitry to make it safe for use with modern equipment. So if you could keep the tube rectifier but maybe add a better "backend" (New 3-prong grounded power cord, replace any damaged wiring? better voltage/current regulation? Filter caps? Fuse(s) or maybe circuit breaker(s)?) It's just such a cool enclosure it would be awesome to see it updated for modern (er safe) usage!
Yes please, Mr Carlson, continue with the restoration of that battery charger! Great video!
I would like to see this restored. It works as it should. Those old school battery chargers can deliver one hell of a charge. The garages who had them would unscrew the cell caps to check electrolyte levels and see if the separator plates were caked in sulphur. They could also tell if one of the cells was shorted by looking at the colour of the electrolyte. Using the current meter on the battery charger, you can tell if the battery is getting close to full charge by looking at the amount of current it is taking.
Honestly I thought there would be multiple arc flashes when you powered that up, given the state of the wiring. You're very brave.
Looks like a good old fashioned battery boiler to me!
I have a 1925 Model T Ford and great to think something like this may have been in service at the time, really would like to see it fully restored. Thanks for the video.
Please restore this wonderful charger, Paul!
This unit HAS to be restored Paul, it it such an important part of history. Just love projects like this one, Top Job !👍
With a half-wave rectifier no wonder this thing hums like crazy 🙂
I wish I had a clue and you make me realize it
I absolutely would love to see you do a full restoration on this piece. Your excitement in seeing this spark up sold me entirely.
You've got guts. That was impressive. Usually if I hear something humming that loud I run while pulling the plug. I've never had anything good happen after hearing a 60 decibel 60 cycle hum.
This is a beautiful piece of equipment. I would love to see this restored plus other 1910 - 1920s gear! Thank You Mr. C
Unbelievable!!! this thing is indestructible...
Working Tungar tubes in 2024 are really antique things on their own since the era of Tungar bulbs came to an end in late 1930s. But a whole working device with a Tungar in it in 2024 that's just a miracle!
(telling this as a happy owner of 2 Tungar bulbs, one of which is almost 100 years old - Glz 40/3S)
Of course it deserves a full restoration/renovation, and you as an owner have full rights to decide the amount of work on restoration/renovation is to be done - either to just fix the switch and check out the wires connections (i.e. to save the traces of time) or to disassemble the device completely and then to do as much as possible to make it look even better than it was brand new 90+ years before.
I personally would prefer the second way, but I also know really well what a HUGE amount of time, efforts, patience, and skills it demands. So yeah, this is up to you what to do with it =)
Though I'm sure almost everyone here would like to take a closer look to the insides of this almost one hundred years old device! =D It is really interesting to see and know how they made it in those days
Amazing! I am highly interested in a full restoration of the charger, wow, just wow!
I definitely want to see a full electronic restoration of this charger. However, I would personally prefer if you didn’t paint it up but just cleaned it and kept it and it’s pretty much current state. Just get it working like it used to and looking old with the wonderful patina it has.
It would be nice, but a complete restoration would be better, materials degrade over time, and if this is a unique item, it wouldn't be nice to keep it degraded like this!
This thing needs to live on!!!
We can disagree in a friendly way. I more appreciate complete restoration of cabinet too... but it's Paul's choice!
@@ericvintage5725 I also vote no re painting. Its not that rusted, we have the technology to keep it intact.
Very cool!
I like equipment like this!
Restoration please!
Great Video!
restore it like new, love this old stuff
You are a brave man. I wouldn't have dared to test it myself.
They sure don't build things like they used to. It's astonishing that this charger is still in perfect functional order despite its age and condition! I bet if you hooked it to a dead car battery right as it is it'd charge that battery right up no problem.
Definitely deserves a proper restoration. Still, it's absolutely amazing that it is still functional all these years later.
I know it's a simple circuit but in that condition I'm amazed it worked. Good to restore as an example of how earlier chargers worked and how they were constructed.
It's simplicity is PRECISELY why it works almost perfectly after this many years, with little more than the replacement of "maintenance items".
Paul, if you have a time machine - you deserve it.
Nice charger, I would love to see it restored back to its former glory. Thanks for sharing this demo of the unit.
How could that not work it's built like a tank
I was thinking that's way too small to have a rectifier tube in it, learned a new thing today. Thanks!
Jeez. If I tried something like this, the transformer would short out after 5 seconds and fill the lab with smoke. Where the heck do you find this stuff 😅
This stuff follows me home for some reason.
@@MrCarlsonsLab We know how it is, go to a hamfest and some poor neglected Heathkit just follows you home.
@@chucklemken8639There is a saying at the Hamvention that you don’t dare leave your flea market table unattended or it will have more stuff on when you get back than when you left it.
@@MrCarlsonsLabthey domesticate themselves, like cats.
I have the exact same charger. Still works, but I need to place a small wooden wedge behind the wooden knob to keep it securely in position. Came to me via my father and grandfather, who said it was originally used to charge the batteries of the fire trucks in his small town.
Thanks for sharing your story!
No way, even the meter worked! And look at that beautiful drawing in the manual 😍 What's the type for this special fuse?
p.s. Happy to see Mr. Carlson feeling lit again 🔥 These recent videos give such great energy and humour, a joy to watch!
Thanks for your kind comment! The fuse is the same type as an old stove fuse.
What a cool find. Have been fascinated by high current tube devices like this and tube welders for a while. Would love to see a restoration.
ооо у меня есть похожая зарядка 1940х годов или даже раньше работает круто 👍🙂
+1 for a Mr.Carlsons Lab style Restauration.
Paul, You gotta restore that great old beast. I do wonder if the output is half wave rectified like "modern" battery chargers. Also, is there a good reason for the half wave. Thx.
You are correct, it is half wave!
I love it. I opt for a restoration in that 'Mr. Carlson's Lab' style that we've all grown to appreciate.
This is too cool not to restore.
That thing is cool, and absolutely it should be restored.
I also can't believe that not only did you plug it in but it actually worked, I expected sparks, magic smoke, and a BANG. You have guts sir!
And... I can just imagine Electroboom with one of these...
What I wouldn't give for half an hour with your time machine. I want to see what people think about _our_ tech in a hundred years.
That presupposes there will be anyone around in 100 years. The long term outlook for our species is not looking very bright at this point. You and I will never know without a time machine though. Or will we?
@@1pcfred One hundred years isn't all that long. I have little doubt we will make it that long. Another thousand years, yeah, probably, in some way, shape or form. 10k? Maybe, maybe not. Cro-Magnon people were around 10k years ago. So were Neanderthals. Maybe another robust species will have budded off our gracile lineage by then? Another 100k? Not as the same species we know in its current form, that's for sure. Maybe more in a Wellsian definition of the word "human".
Now if we're talking _civilization,_ that's another matter entirely. Civilization is a lot easier to destroy than an entire species. To quote Einstein: "We don't know what weapons the 3rd World War will be fought with, but the fourth will be fought with clubs and stones".
This has got to be one of the most rare industrial electrical devices out there. Absolutely, this should be restored !
General Electric Tungar charger. My dad had a larger version of this that hung on our garage wall for 50 years. It had two Tungar tubes, two meters, two variable controls instead of the one, and it had two "High/Low" switches. I think it was capable of charging an insane number of 6V batteries in series - perhaps 48. Dad cautioned to NEVER turn those switches to Hi. I sold it on Ebay.
"There's a light at the old Frankenstein place " yes for the restoration. A fun video.
I would love to see this gem restored!
I love seeing the insides of these old electronics working. Really appreciate the effort you put into this channel!
Just an amazing video in terms of a unique and intriguing topic!...would like to know more about the history and who manufactured these chargers!!...definitely worth restoring!!!
I believe I saw something like that in my grandmother's basement when I was a boy. I knew vaguely what it was but didn't know enough to keep it when the house was sold. Also found a 1930s Delineascope slide projector she used as a teaching aid in her high school English classes during that era. We still have that somewhere - I will have to dig it out and restore it. By all means, Paul, restore the old battery charger. Any Model T owner would be proud to have it mounted on his garage wall.
I love watching your videos - for me - you really are my 'Holy Grail' of electronic teachers. Looking forward to the restoration very much 😁
Thanks 👍
Yeah! Absolutely! Rebuild Restore! If it has survived for this long it deserves to live on!
Definitely in need of a restoration, this battery charger is pretty cool for it's age.
Super cool. Love to see it brought back around.
Very excited about a full restoration video on that old battery charger!
Yes, please restore it, and use it to charge a car type battery. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
You are one cool guy, if I had that charger it would have gone to the scrap pile. I worked in a repair shop in the 70s, we had one of these chargers, I remember the tube and the noise. Thanks for the video, and bringing it back to life.
My electronics guru, Ed Jeffries, rest in peace grew up as a Nebraska farm boy. They had power to one pole out in their yard after REA (Rural Electrification Administration) came through. His Dad had one of those General Electric battery chargers. It stayed on his wall in his shop from when I first knew him in 2004 until he passed about 2015. IT WORKED. He fixed many many fancy chargers for floor scrubber machines, and Pulse Width Modulated motor speed controllers for my business. For fun he helped me with many innovations on MIG welding machines. - All of which took Ed back in time to the single pole in his childhood farmyard. The taught himself to weld using unshielded steel baling wire with 110AC line power! Doesn't seem possible but Ed said he repaired some small stuff that way - so I believe it happened.
Thanks for sharing your story Patrick!
You find the coolest equipment, please restore it!
Thanks for sharing! I'm looking foreward to seeing your restoration.
Old electronics like that may be dangerous, but they NEVER die.
Fricking awesome!
Hmm. I think I'd probably have checked the AC volts on those crocodile clips as well as the DC volts, before grabbing hold of them. Yes, the thing does have a pretty convincing rectifier tube in it, but I'd still be wary!
Please restore this wonderful artifact!
I would love to see this beautiful machine restored to it's former glory and mounted on a wall where it should be. Please make it happen!
Very cool! Can't wait to see it restored.!!
your knowledge of everything electronic is amazing.
Yes! Definitely need to see this charger restored. AND...I REALLY REALLY REALLY need to see you fire up that monster transmitting tube!!!! I'm really curious about its details. What a monster!
Finding anything 93 years old you didnt have to rewire to get it to work is amazing. Yes indeed it deserves a full restoration
Those chuckles you made made it absolutely viable to do the restoration hehe
That's a pretty cool old battery charger! I would probably be afraid to have it running too long. I would enjoy seeing you restore it.
Loved It !!!! Ireally love old stuff like this
Awesome piece of technology! Always amazes me the equipment built to get us to where we are today. Thank you for keeping the past alive