[Guest]

I recently purchased an old Philco Battery Eliminator. It appears to be a Socket-Power Model B-603 from about 1925-1927. I have a couple of questions about it.

- Inside the unit there is a standard light bulb in a socket. Is this original to the design or something that was added? I suspect that it may have been used to determine when the unit was providing maximum power output. Possibly as you adjusted the internal knob you increased power until the bulb had almost no glow to indicate that the radio did not have a short and was using the amperage properly?
- Second, this eliminator does not have a tube rectifier. According to Ramirez (Philco Radio 1928-1942) this is because Philco used electrolytic (wet) rectifiers. Well, inside this unit there are 4 large cylinders that look like capacitors. Each one has an open 3/8" hole in the top. Are you supposed to fill these with acid or salt water (electrolyte)?
- Is it possible to bring one of these things back to life safely?

There are pictures available on my Yahoo Flickr site: http://flickr.com/photos/kb1awv/2872757321/

[Image: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3258/28727...z.jpg?zz=1]
Philco B Battery Eliminator by Ken, KB1AWV, on Flickr

Thanks.