Pifco sun lamp.

[Geoff 555]

Hello there I have had this for years and have just 're found' it. Does anyone know where I can obtain 10mm carbon arc rods from. I have searched and searched and the only thing I have found are sources of fishing rods and model aircraft wing spars.etc. Mention 'carbon' now and it seems that you get flooded with thousands of things that you dont want.
Pictures may well follow when it's clean enough (1/4" of dust.) to see what it is!!.
Thanks as always. Happy New Year to all.
Cheers.
Geoff.

[mickjjo]

You may have more luck searching for "welding supplies", These might work:-

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Carbon-Arc-Rod...item3363b26ab0

Regards, Mick.

[raditechman]

Surprisingly you can still buy carbons for cinema projector arc lamps, although I do not know of any theatres still using them now there must still some around. Whether they would suit your your "sun" lamp I am not sure..
However you would have to buy them in boxes of 50, and there are copper covered to improve conductivity, the copper burns off with the heat from the arc.
Link to supplier:
http://www.cinemasupplies.co.uk/frameset.html?submenu=
John

[evingar]

Nice site - Anyone know if Netscape Navigator runs on 'doze 7 ?
I guess you don't want to seem to up-to-date when selling rods for carbon arc equipment

[Biggles]

My parents had one of these in the seventies. All I remember is that when it was switched on I used to keep well out of the way. I think you had to wear like welder's goggles when you were using it, and the electrodes were adjusted by two wheels on either side of the parabolic dish. I remember the electrodes were wound in till they touched and glowed red hot then you would wind them out until the arc was struck. Goodness knows what it did for the neighbours TV reception.
Alan.

[mickjjo]

Every home should have one!........:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4uw-_DFo5c

Regards, Mick.

[60 oldjohn]

Hi Geoff, Don't be in a hurry buying some, I should have some I bought years ago for brazing and heating. I gave most away when I moved workshops, but I think I kept some or I may be able to beg some back. Just give me a day or two. John.

[Big Band Heaven]

Is the sizzling sound on the youtube video the lamp or the sound of skin cooking under a blaze of UV light

[Zelandeth]

Ouch...wouldn't want to be in front of one of them! You'll have a heap of UVA/B/C getting chucked out there, not to mention probably a fair amount of ozone!

An interesting curiousity from days gone by, but one to be treated with great respect.

[Ekco-Scott]

Originally Posted by raditechman

Surprisingly you can still buy carbons for cinema projector arc lamps, although I do not know of any theatres still using them now there must still some around.
John

Sorry if i'm going off topic but my local cinema still use them they have been open from the 1930s and are still useing there 1930s cinema projectors.

[Geoff 555]

Hello all, goodness what a response, John thank you you have a PM. Mick I dont know I had a look at the copper coated rods and was concerned about the coating and what it would do and whether it would be deposited on everything in the area.
That video is BRILLIANT ,in more ways than one, I am never going to get the reflector on mine looking like that WOW. I note that the neon actually lights when it's turned on by the look of it, mine doesn't so I must have a look.
I must say that now reading about what it does then when it came out (when?) people were blind to what it was doing, makes you wonder a bit.
I can remember when I was small, 7 or 8, may be younger of being toasted on both sides for a short time and then put to bed. Spoonful of Malt extract anyone?
I am retiring before I drift OT completely, thank you and good night or morning.
Cheers.
Geoff.

[raditechman]

I also have an old carbon arc sun ray lamp, (however I just went and rummaged around the garage but could not find it). It was not a Pifco but a cheaper make, had a square metal case with the spiral element ballast at the back wound on a square ceramic former, and the two carbons side by side mounted vertically. You had a knob which you twisted to tilt the right hand carbon rod over to touch the tip of the left side carbon. Dark green goggles came with it.
I cannot remember the make, it was widely advertised in magazine many years ago.
John

[mickjjo]

Another style of carbon arc sunray lamp:-

http://www.museumoftechnology.org.uk/expand.php?key=142

I remember playing with carbon rods extracted from old dry cells to make an "arc lamp" years ago...... .

Regards, Mick.

[Heatercathodeshort]

I have seen a 1930's version of one of these. It was quite large and looked exactly like something out of 'Flash Gordon'. Health and Safety at it's best. J.

[raditechman]

The one in the photo link from mickjjo post is the model that I have.
John

[julie_m]

My nan used to have an ancient "U.V. + I.R." sun lamp; can't remember who made it, unfortunately. This was basically a metal reflector containing a mercury discharge tube as the UV source, with an electric-fire type element as a resistive ballast and the IR source. The low resistance of the cold heating element fed full mains to the mercury tube to start the discharge; then as it warmed up, the positive temperature coefficient naturally ensured the current was limited to a safe value. I think there was also an "infra red only" setting, which shorted the discharge tube.

The discharge tube was basically naked -- not even contained within an outer glass bulb, as it would be in a hydroponics lamp -- and the only protection was a grille which prevented at least fat fingers from touching the heating element, but would not have kept flying glass or red-hot mercury away from the user's face if the tube exploded.

It's a miracle any of us are still alive, really. Either that or we're simply not as fragile as the modern H+S types would have us believe we are.

[kalee20]

Cinema arc lamp carbons will work, but may well burn up rather quicker than the 'proper' 10mm carbons. The reason I say this is that the Pifco carbons would probably be fairly
hard, mixed with clay etc, and slow-burning - whereas the cinema carbons are optimised for light production and frequently have a central core with a graphite/salt mix to create the best spectral distribution for good colour rendering. Speed of burning isn't a problem if the carbons are motor fed (typically carbons have a burn rate of 2½" per 20 minute reel for positives, and half that for negatives).

For small quantities, welding suppliers would be better - carbons are used with an arc welder for generating heat for brazing. Although, if you are lucky enough to have your local cinema still use carbons, they'll be sure to have lots of short ends you can have.

[60 oldjohn]

Sorry Geoff, I have not been able to find any rods. The ones I had were copper coated, If you were able to get copper coated I wounder if Ferric chloride would work without any ill effects on the carbon? John.

[julie_m]

If I remember my A-level chemistry, FeCl3 should dissolve the copper without affecting the carbon.

[AlanBeckett]

I don't expect the copper is very thick. A good rub with emery cloth would probably do it.
Alan