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Vintage Tech Goes Under the Hammer

posted by cmn32480 on Tuesday September 22 2015, @08:37AM   
from the bet-they-are-energy-hogs dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

An Apple 1 motherboard, a 79-year-old TV and the only surviving processor of the last supercomputer designed by Seymour Cray are being auctioned in New York.

The 1936 Baird television set may not work and delivers a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts.

But it could still fetch between $20,000 (£13,000) and $30,000, according to auctioneer Bonhams.

The Apple 1 has a starting price of $300,000.

Do you have any vintage pieces you'd like to sell in the auction? Are there any items you'd like to add to your collection?

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Original Submission

• ''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' ''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2015, @09:15AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2015, @09:15AM (#239833)

  Electric charge is measured in Coulombs. /pedantic

  A cathode ray tube typically requires 1kV per diagonal screen inch.
  A 5000V acceleration potential can be found in a TV with a 5-inch CRT, so "huge" is relative.
  Now, a set with 27-inch tube would be something that definitely demands respect.

  ...and a CRT makes a nice capacitor that can hold a charge for several hours if there is nothing to bleed that off.

  ...then there are the sets where the high voltage regulator isn't working properly and a bit more of the raw high voltage gets out to the more-accessible bits.
  (Always keep 1 hand in your pocket when working with HV.)

  -- gewg_

• Re:''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' Re:''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' (Score: 2) by janrinok on Tuesday September 22 2015, @09:23AM

  by janrinok (52) on Tuesday September 22 2015, @09:23AM (#239836) Journal

  I once had the misfortune to touch a 27kV feed from a TV line transformer. It won. I found myself on the other side of the room with a nice burn mark on my forearm.

  Parent

  • Re:''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' (Score: 3, Funny) by Fnord666 on Tuesday September 22 2015, @02:32PM

    by Fnord666 (652) on Tuesday September 22 2015, @02:32PM (#239956) Homepage

    I once had the misfortune to touch a 27kV feed from a TV line transformer. It won. I found myself on the other side of the room with a nice burn mark on my forearm.

    We need a +1 Ouch! moderation.

    Parent

• Re:''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' Re:''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' (Score: 3, Interesting) by FatPhil on Tuesday September 22 2015, @09:45AM

  by FatPhil (863) <pc-soylentNO@SPAMasdf.fi> on Tuesday September 22 2015, @09:45AM (#239844) Homepage

  A 5000V potential can be found on my plastic comb as I comb my hair. Or on a balloon rubbed against my woolly jumper.

  --
  Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves

  Parent

  • Re:''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' Re:''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2015, @12:43PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2015, @12:43PM (#239896)

    I was working (actually I was screwing around) on a battery powered flash for a camera, didn't think something powered by 2 AA batteries could hurt me. I touched the wrong lead and woke up 20 minutes later 6 feet away from where I was.

    Parent

    • Re:''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2015, @04:59PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2015, @04:59PM (#240056)

      *unscrewing around

      Parent

• Re:''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2015, @04:10PM

  by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 22 2015, @04:10PM (#240020)

  The capacitance of CRTs is intentional. The graphite coating (aquadag [wikipedia.org]) on the sides forms one of the electrodes, and the anode is connected to the other electrode, on the inside of the tube. I once got a shock from a CRT that had been disconnected for weeks.

  Parent

• Re:''a huge electrical charge of 5000 volts'' (Score: 2) by nukkel on Tuesday September 22 2015, @07:41PM

  by nukkel (168) on Tuesday September 22 2015, @07:41PM (#240134)

  Ah, childhood memories.

  Parent