5 decade old battery pack bridge

[73's de Edd]

Sir Theodore . . . . . . .

Can you hear me . . . . CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW ? . . .are you " IN" today ?

Believe me . . . those-es-es-es diodes are NOT being any of the 1N295 or 1N60 germanium family, so don't even think of them.
The best comparison diode made in that SMALL GLASS CASING, back in that design frame time was being marketed as the 1N 645-7 family, which were rated at about 225 ma.
The IN400X family totally took over from them . . . in later years.
Matter of fact, all of your 4 tested original diodes check out as GOOD silicon diodes with those Vf specs you gave.
With just one slightly up into the 892 mv range.

Test that 0.47 cap by connecting it in series with a 120V 7 watt christmas light bulb from AC line power, I'll just bet that it won't fully light up like a shorted one .

I will say that your PRINCIPAL problem is being those individual Ni Cad cells with massive time onset dendrite leakage build up inside of them and also possibly leakage of electrolyte, if you see external white powdery signs.
Course, you cant see the individual internal units, as you have a 5 pack of Ni Cad pancake cells composing each battery.
BTW can you also find an EIA code on the battery markings . . . that would let us know who actually made them.

61,188,130,167,40,183 and 1125 are being valid EIA code numbers of battery manufacturers, but my most suspect for that SPECIFIC configuration of casing is being Varta . . . . but I do not see their code.
Johnson themselves is being 222.

Thassssssit . . . .

73's de Edd

 

[tedstruk]

you are tal

I would not use the 1N60 diodes, if I remember rightly they are germanium and low voltage. You could look up the data.
If there is no load, the diodes are subjected to the full mains voltage. 1N4007 diodes (1000V, 1A) are readily available and very cheap.
The current and voltage could vary considerably out in the forest. Some time ago I used a 250kW DC motor controlled by thyristors. Turning up the torque would trip all the flourescent lights on the site since the power factor capacitors by-passed the large harmonic current.

Have you worked out the current using the mains voltage and frequency in your part of the woods?

You are talking about two different kinds of diodes...
Barrier diodes and Rectifier Diodes-
I think the Schottky diodes are the barrier diodes- and Zeners are a type of Schottky diode.
These are rectifier diodes...I think they are supposed to have a minimal avalanche rating, and it is supposed to be circuit secure... where no avalanche can happen.

 

[tedstruk]

Johnson company specially made the batteries for the radio... They are probably 222 in code.

Dum question here... (really dum don't look steve...)
if I have 18.8ma how far do I move the decimal left, for amps? 3 or 6? for my math.

 

[duke37]

Since you do not wish to do any work, read this.
Input voltage 115V at 60Hz?
Load drop about 12V+ so 100V across the capacitor..
Reactance = 1/(2*pi*f*C)
Current = voltage/reactance = 100*2*pi*60*0.56E-6 = 21mA

Dirty mains with harmonics will give a higher current.
I do not worry about what is in the diodes, I just get those which will do the job with spare capability and are cheap.
What do you mean by circuit secure?

 

[73's de Edd]

Steve . . . in absentia . . sez. . . " twee" places.. . . to the left.

 

[(*steve*)]

This circuit is dangerous. @tedstruk doesn't understand it, diodes or capacitors.

I'm closing this thread because it's not only going nowhere, it's going backwards.