I got some compactron tubes whose vacuum were lost, then in place of discard them, I broke manually the exaust tube in the base, and filled them with water. Some white particles reacted with it, and the I got as those old snowing gifts. I sealed the hole with silicone glue. The result is below.
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Back in high school electronics class I would take a tube with the exhaust stem on top, hold it under water and crush the stem with pliers. The vacuum would suck water into the tube. We called these "damper tubes" for obvious reasons, regardless of their original function.
So, what do you do with a damper tube? You connect it up to a power supply and make some steam. The heater is now water cooled (for a while) and can eat more than its original voltage, again for a while. Plate, and grid voltages can be applied, and via electrolysis, make hydrogen and oxygen.
No useful electrical properties were found, except for noise generation, but this requires water replenishment, and was not stable once corrosion and rust set in. Care must be exercised since an internal spark can make a damper tube explode.
These were mostly used to prank a teacher or student, or the manager of the Olson store where I worked.....plug 2 or 3 into each tube tester, then shut the store down for the night at closing time. Manager comes in next morning still drunk from the night before, sees steam shooting from tubes in the tube tester, and goes home to sleep it off.
So, what do you do with a damper tube? You connect it up to a power supply and make some steam. The heater is now water cooled (for a while) and can eat more than its original voltage, again for a while. Plate, and grid voltages can be applied, and via electrolysis, make hydrogen and oxygen.
No useful electrical properties were found, except for noise generation, but this requires water replenishment, and was not stable once corrosion and rust set in. Care must be exercised since an internal spark can make a damper tube explode.
These were mostly used to prank a teacher or student, or the manager of the Olson store where I worked.....plug 2 or 3 into each tube tester, then shut the store down for the night at closing time. Manager comes in next morning still drunk from the night before, sees steam shooting from tubes in the tube tester, and goes home to sleep it off.
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