Hi. Does anyone here know what these are called and/or know how to test them? I picked them up at a thrift store. I like old stuff and these looked interesting, but I'm not electrical at all. Thanks!

 

Can you open them up and share some good, well focused images?
I would think they are simple power rheostats, but a photo will prove or disprove that assumption.

 

Can you open them up and share some good, well focused images?
I would think they are simple power rheostats, but a photo will prove or disprove that assumption.

Here are some pics

 

Welcome to AAC!

Does anyone here know what these are called and/or know how to test them?

Low voltage power supplies at a decent current. I suspect that the voltages listed are the maximums since they're called low voltage power supplies.

Use resistors or a current sink to test current capability.

I picked them up at a thrift store.

Nice find.

 

A step down transformer, a chunky rheostat and what appears to be a Selenium rectifier!

1950s or early 1960s tech.

 

A step down transformer, a chunky rheostat and what appears to be a Selenium rectifier!

And no filter caps! The DC won't be very "DC".

 

Yes., I remember selenium rectifiers well.
You could tell when they had failed. The SMELL !
I likened it to cat p**. !

You can add electrolytic caps if you want smoother DC, the voltage level will increase though.

 

You remember train sets I had one just like it for a train you set the speed with the dial some trains where DC some where AC

 

Thank you all for your feedback! Very cool to learn about this. Not real sure what I'm going to do with them ha. I may just try to sell them to someone that can appreciate them more - not sure yet. Cool display pieces though.

 

I also have these two that I bought at the same time. Perhaps a little newer. I tried to do a little research on the company Electro-Technic. Looks like they are still in business so I emailed them and attached some of the pictures. We'll see what they say.