# Identify this electrical device **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 16, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868 "2003-09-16T01:57:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/21 "2003-09-16T15:58:50Z")
I couldn’t see the pics, but from the descriptions I say it’s most likely a frog exaggerator. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/22 "2003-09-16T16:47:10Z")
I’m not at all happy about all those pop-ups, perhaps you could warn folks beforehand, now I’m going to have to scan for bad cookies and the like, thanks a lot! ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2003, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/23 "2003-09-16T18:23:53Z")
I didn’t realize there were pop-ups. They only seem to happen when the bandwidth is exceeded. Sorry. **picunurse:** Its already been opened up, just not disassambled. It contains neither. PS. If anyone could be so kind as to provide some “real” hosting space, that would be great. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2003, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/24 "2003-09-16T18:34:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*friedo wrote:\*Obviously it’s a debigulator That’s preposterous! That would require some sort of RE-bigulator or something. ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/25 "2003-09-17T10:16:45Z")
It apppears to me to be a three phase motor speed controll. The tube is most likely a diode. I have a unit similar to this in a machine at work, turning the big dial will change the speed of the machine. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/26 "2003-09-17T11:00:43Z")
In my opinion it looks like a “lashup.” ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/27 "2003-09-17T11:07:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Trigonal Planar \* > \*\*Oh, I’m sure the bandwidth limit for that site will quickly be exceeded, so if the site won’t load, please try again later. \*\* No offense but EARLIER is better. Early in the morning, that is before download restrictions come into play. “Free” web hosting has it’s limitations. ---
**Author:** ![coffeecat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coffeecat/32/3405_2.png) [@coffeecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecat)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/28 "2003-09-17T11:51:38Z")
WAG: a power supply for NMR? That would involve high current, magnetic fields, and something varying at a specified rate. ---
**Author:** ![coffeecat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coffeecat/32/3405_2.png) [@coffeecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecat)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2003, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/29 "2003-09-17T11:59:48Z")
Do you have access to an oscilloscope, so you can see what’s coming out of the thing? ---
**Author:** ![Ginger\_Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df788c/32.png) [@Ginger\_Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ginger_Ale)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/30 "2003-10-16T18:31:22Z")
I would have to say it’s a DC (Commutator) generator that’s gotten itself fried. They threw it out for a reason. 😉 Site…eerr… this took awhile to find… sorry [http://216.239.53.104/search?q=cache:LuZKeL\_YgbAJ:www.mit.edu/afs/athena/course/6/6.685/2002/notes/9/cnote9.ps+&hl=en&ie=UTF-8](http://216.239.53.104/search?q=cache:LuZKeL_YgbAJ:www.mit.edu/afs/athena/course/6/6.685/2002/notes/9/cnote9.ps+&hl=en&ie=UTF-8) ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/31 "2003-10-16T18:44:49Z")
It is a subspace power inverter used to modulate positronic waves. Data and Geordi can have it fixed in about an hour. You are gonna have to live with warp 3 until then. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2003, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868/32 "2003-10-16T20:15:56Z")
I do have an oscope, but I’m scared the plug the thing in. Its quite old and the wires are in pretty bad condition. Apparently my roommates powered it on once without my knowledge…they said the instruments “did stuff”. :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-electrical-device/201868.md?page=1)