"Tom Miller" wrote in message
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"Phil Hobbs" wrote in message
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On 10/21/2015 01:24 AM, Tom Miller wrote:
"Phil Hobbs" wrote in message
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On 10/19/2015 09:51 AM, wrote:
Hi all, I found this thing.. see pictures
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/sxd1cq8qb...LzNAK-Vaa?dl=0
In the back of a drawer at my house. The previous owner was a pack
rat,
who also worked for the phone company.
It looks like some high voltage flashlight.
What sort of voltage do I apply to the leads?
Thanks,
George H.
Looks like a fairly powerful flashlamp inside--it might be the
business end of one of those old photo flash units that ran off a 300V
dry cell
Cheers
Phil Hobbs
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No, they just had a Neon tube. You had to enhance the timing mark on the
balancer with white chalk. It really would not work outside in sunlight.
They were the cheapest timing light one could buy then. Now they use
Xenon flash tubes and inverters/storage caps.
I would venture a guess that unit was made in the 60's or earlier.
Why go to the trouble of making that huge helical tube then?
Cheers
Phil Hobbs
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To get as much light as possible from a hand held tool. And Neon tubes are
cheap. Remember, you had to hold the strobe close to the harmonic balancer
while turning the distributor housing to set the timing. It got much
easier when the consumer grade xenon units came out. Even then, they cost
$100+ in the 60-70's. The neon units were $30-40.
Years ago I had a motorcycle with 6V electrics - I couldn't buy a 6V xenon
unit at any price.
The problem was solved by building my own in the housing of an old
flashlight.
Haven't seen it for a while, but its highly unlikely I would've thrown it
out - it must be under the clutter in the garage somewhere.
Whether building another would be less hassle than finding the old one is a
whole 'nother question!
AFAIK: the latest development in more efficient white LEDs, is ditching blue
LEDs with yellow phosphor in favour of UV LEDs with white phosphor.
These are already finding their way into phone-camera flash rings, and the
white phosphor may have short enough persistence to use in a strobe.