[SEL] Early Switchboard Meters and Switchgear

[John Culp]

> On relays, "quenching", or "spike" diodes are put across one of the 
> coils to absorb the voltage of the collapsing magnetic field.

Like the damper diodes on TV picture tube deflection coils. Used to be 
vacuum tubes (valves to Peter), and I've still got a bunch of 'em. They 
make pretty good half-wave power rectifiers.

John Culp
Bristol, Tennessee, USA