Liquid Dimmers  (1915 - 1945)
Strand

Glazed earthenware jars, complete with fixed & moving lead cones.
(Made by a number of companies, not just Strand)

Also known as salt water dimmers and electrolytic dimmers. 
Liquid dimmers can be used on DC or AC supplies. 
The concentration of electrolytes in the water can be changed to enable the dimmer to be used on a range of diffferent loads. The salts are provided by washing soda crystals. 

The last electrolytic dimmers were replaced in London in 1959. 

Related Venues:

• Savoy Theatre
• Citizens Theatre Glasgow
• London Coliseum

Documents

M193 London Coliseum Liquid Dimmer Control 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[2.2Mb  JPEG]
From Strand Slide Archive

M194 London Coliseum Liquid Dimmers 
Click on thumbnail to enlarge
[1.59Mb  JPEG]
From Strand Slide Archive

1925 Strand Catalogue - Liquid Dimmers / Metallic Dimmers (1925)
From Strand Archive

1945 Strand Catalogue - Dimmers (August 1945)
From Strand Archive

LSI: Classic Gear - Liquid Dimmers (May 2017)
[3.8Mb PDF]
From Lighting & Sound International

Exhibits in the Backstage Heritage Collection

Liquid Dimmer  
From Gaiety Theatre Collection

Liquid Dimmers  (2015)

Back to Dimming and Multiplex (Strand)