Posted on Sunday, 12th April 2009 by Auw Jimmy

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One factor that makes me like tube is its glow. Well, it’s hard to explain, but some tubes have a beautiful color, especially in dark room. Here is some of them.

Below is the 0A3/VR75 tube. It has red/fire color. Very bright and aggresive.

Below is 0C3 (VR105). It has purple color, tends to have “softer” light. The higher voltage variant, the 0D3 (VR150) also shares similar color.

Below is one of the most “dangerous” tube. It’s tube #83 Mercury Vapor Rectifier. It has Mercury inside and will glow blue when the plates conduct the high voltage. Very-very beautiful tube – despite the danger of the Mercury. It has 2 plates, and will show blue color when glowing. Since I use my Knight 600 tube tester, I can’t activate both plates together. That’s why you only see blue light glowing from left plate.

Photo below shows the right plate is conducting the high voltage, so only the right plate is glowing blue.

I switch the tube tester to activate the left plate, so you can see the blue glowing comes from left side.

On the real world, both plates will conduct the high voltage, so you will see a “complete” blue glowing from both plates.

Many more beautiful tubes in the world, like the white light from Thoriated Tungsten. Hope I can have enough life, courage, and money to enjoy those tubes someday ;)



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Posted in Collectible Stuff, Personal | Comments (9)

9 Responses to “Beautiful Glowing Tubes”

  1. Benedict Says:
    April 13th, 2009 at 17:47

    all i can say is beautiful…



  2. Damar.N Says:
    April 16th, 2009 at 16:45

    That’s beautiful!!!..



  3. Yours Says:
    April 17th, 2009 at 11:48

    “Hope I can have enough life, courage, and money to enjoy those tubes someday”

    Yes, you can! Count me in, count me in :D



  4. B Says:
    April 17th, 2009 at 12:28

    Yes, I will count you in honey :)
    So sweet :)



  5. Steve Emeny. Says:
    May 21st, 2009 at 03:47

    Yeh, I quite agree..they are amazing man !!!
    The light effect, is really beautiful indeed, and very enigmatic…and somewhat eerie too !!
    Other ones with good effects too~ are RG1-125, RG1-240A, & 866..These ones are all Mercury vapour rectifiers as well, and they give off a very bright blue light…the 866 has a more “ghostly” misty light ..
    Try them out man !!!

    Steve. ( Hatfield, Hertfordshire. England uk. )



  6. Dani kurniawan Says:
    May 26th, 2009 at 01:49

    Permisi Pak Jimmy, klo bisa jangan yg tabung penyearah sama penguatnya aja Mas, coba deh tabung2 ”MATA KUCING” sama tabung display ”NIXIE”

    Biar kita2 gak cuma suka suaranya tapi juga suka bentuk dan nyalanya tabung
    Trims



  7. Jimmy Auw Says:
    May 26th, 2009 at 09:01

    Halo,
    Saya juga koleksi lampu Nixie, tapi bingung aplikasinya mau diapakan hehehe. Lagi mau main2 dengan bargraph display IN13-nya, cuman masih mikir2 driver-nya dulu.

    Thanks.



  8. MERCURY VAPOR RECTIFIER | Tuning Labs Says:
    October 20th, 2011 at 06:18

    [...] mercury vapor rectifier jimmyauw.com [...]



  9. Sparking Ideas – Jeff Duntemann's Contrapositive Diary Says:
    April 7th, 2012 at 05:22

    [...] dad circa 1987, and with a little skill and some copper pipe fittings could build something with a VR-75 tube at the center, and the gear as the touchplate. Touch the plate, flash the tube, kill the [...]



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