Cheap pseudo temp. controlled soldering (was: Spending)

From: Jerome H. Fine <jhfinexgs2_at_compsys.to>
Date: Thu Nov 13 18:39:20 2003

>Tony Duell wrote:

> Totally OT, but...
> In the 1950s, one of the UK electronics magazines had a project for a
> 'combined radio and table lamp'. It was a conventional series-string
> heater valve radio, but the heater dropping resistor was a light bulb in
> a socket on top of the case. You could fit a normal lampshade to the bulb
> if you wanted...
> The power swtich had 3 positions. Off (obvious). Light (which
> disconnected the radio HT (B+) supply and shorted out the heaters, so the
> bulb was directly across the mains). And radio, which ran the bulb in
> series with the heaters, so it wa a bit dimmer, but still gave out light.

Jerome Fine replies:

Then maybe this qualifies for some geek points - how many?

Around 1967, the old black and white TV blew the power
transformer. BUT, when I was unable to find a suitable
replacement, I used one that needed an extra dropping
resistor. Not being able to find a suitable HIGH wattage
resistor, I was able to locate one that solved the problem.
I screwed it into a socket held just underneath the TV
which had been wired into the output circuit of the power
transformer. What did I screw in - a 100 watt light bulb
that also was able to serve as a TV LIGHT!

The voltage was not quite 110 volts, probably around 80 volts,
so the output of the bulb was a bit less than normal. After it
was used for a few years, I think the bulb had to be replaced -
or of course the TV would not work.

It was so long ago (36 years!) that I almost completely forgot!

Sincerely yours,

Jerome Fine
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Received on Thu Nov 13 2003 - 18:39:20 GMT

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