Repairing A Variac

> https://www.circuitspecialists.com/variac-tdgc2-2.html

There was a discussion on another group that discovered that 100% of these particular units from one particular run had the Hot and Neutral wires reversed by color. When repaired, 30% of them overheated. When returned, the company refused to refund stating that the repair (reversing the wires) voided the warranty. In a word, China.

http://www.iseincstore.com/3pn1010bvariabletransformer120vacsinglephaseinput0-140vacoutput10acasedmodelwithcordplugreceptaclelightedswitchandfuse.aspx

You get what you pay for in electrical equipment. Shoddy/defective goods can kill. And sometimes do.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
 
On 5/1/2018 7:01 AM, pfjw@aol.com wrote:
https://www.circuitspecialists.com/variac-tdgc2-2.html

There was a discussion on another group that discovered that 100% of these particular units from one particular run had the Hot and Neutral wires reversed by color. When repaired, 30% of them overheated. When returned, the company refused to refund stating that the repair (reversing the wires) voided the warranty. In a word, China.

http://www.iseincstore.com/3pn1010bvariabletransformer120vacsinglephaseinput0-140vacoutput10acasedmodelwithcordplugreceptaclelightedswitchandfuse.aspx

You get what you pay for in electrical equipment. Shoddy/defective goods can kill. And sometimes do.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
Click to expand...
Damn, I sold a couple to cheap!
Mikek

But, I didn't have to haul them home!
 
>"As Kutztown is at the end of next week..."

Kutztown ? Do they have like a mini hamfest type of thing there ?
 
>"http://www.iseincstore.com/3pn1010bvariabletransformer120vacsinglephaseinput0-140vacoutput10acasedmodelwithcordplugreceptaclelightedswitchandfuse.aspx

You get what you pay for in electrical equipment. Shoddy/defective goods can kill. And sometimes do. "

YIKES ! 455 bucks ? Maybe I'll spend more than 5 minutes on it. In fact maybe I'll count the turns and put a micrometer on the wire, see if It can get me some.

If I do all that I will probably upgrade it a bit with a grounded cord and outlet. Maybe get one of those small DVM modules...
 
OK - from 20,000 feet, and with over 45 years around electricity, some of it with a license, if I were to attempt to fix this beast, I would make sure it met *ALL* the proper life-safety requirements. If windings are shorting internally, then the insulation below them is compromised. Fish Paper comes to mind, then dielectric varnish.

If there are any doubts, the device goes off to the salvage yard forthwith. Perhaps I am OK with messing about with unsafe stuff, but I may not be the end-of-the-line.

As Kutztown is at the end of next week, there will be good Variacs a-plenty from an amp or two up to 20 amp monsters, most of them selling for less than their salvage value. These things are neither scarce nor expensive if one knows where to look.

I keep two Heathkit IP 5220 Iso-Variacs A small write-up with pictures is attached below (not mine).

http://www.byan-roper.org/steve/steve-at-play/antique-electronics-and-2/heathkit-ip-5220-variable.html

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
 
>"Not all are decades old: "

For 100 bucks it is worth a crack at fixing. Even if it is cut only.
 
>"Variacs are all (or almost all) many decades old. "

I would say almost and that is because they are not as useful these days. Most brownwares today won't turn on at too low a voltage, even though their power supply would regulate. Even audio amps, on which the use of a variac was common, they also won't fire up at too low a voltage. You have to jump out relays n shit like that. Computers will start but the PS is practically considered replace only, except in case of the shit ones with the proprietary wimpy PSes which are smaller and also fan the processor so you can't use a standard form factor. And this shit is getting more common because businesses want a PC that screws right to the back of the monitor, like in hospitals these days. Fixing those PSes might make a comeback as people get sick of paying 4 or more times as much for an inferior product. But again, I think in some cases even though they would run on the lower voltage, the might not start.

So it's not surprising not to find them all over the place.
 
"And knowing Jurb, it's probably something he fished out of
a dumpster 30 years ago. "
Click to expand...

First of all, while it was given to me it did not come from a dumpster. And you don't know me, don't assume you do. To do so shows willful ignorance and bad attitude. And of course the immaturity not to realize it, accept it and change for the better. You want to be an asshole so what. Unless I care what you say means jack shit.

>"He's already admitted to "fixing" it twice already. "

Admit ? So there's something wrong with fixing things ? I think there is something wrong with YOU. This is sci.electronics.REPAIR, where the fuck do you think you are ?

>"I doubt he did a good job either time. "

Have you ever even seen my work at all ? Do you have cameras on me ? Did you have cameras at my bench when I was making $ 34 an hour, setting my own hours and was pretty much second in command at work ? How can you say anything ? What you do it called talking out your ass around here.

And the FACT that you talk about things you obviously know absolutely nothing about brings into question your credibility on everything. But then you're not known for constructive advice, you only bitch. bitch about thinks you don't even know. what does that make you ?

If you don't like me, don't respond. That is unless you do just to hear yourself bitch, which is starting to look like what it is with you.

You might just end up like Slowman, talking to yourself.
 
>"I trust the variac is grounded, so this may be an arc to the case...or failing insulation on the power cord. How OLD is this variac anyway? "

It is not grounded at all. So it must be arcing to the core but there must be another arc somewhere where it is at a lower voltage. It's not looking good. I wonder if it is even worth doing anything with.

And age ? It is old enough not to be grounded. I mean it does not have a 3 prong plug, and neither the cord or the outlet are even polarized.

It is not a spring chicken.
 
>"if it's a small section of winding, how hard is it to rewind that bit? "

Probably not that bad, but I have to get the exact size magnet wire, and then file it down to be flat for the wiper to contact. The fact that I almost always use it in cut not boost makes just eliminating that part of the winding a viable option.
 
On Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 10:25:24 AM UTC-4, jurb...@gmail.com wrote:
"As Kutztown is at the end of next week..."

Kutztown ? Do they have like a mini hamfest type of thing there ?
Click to expand...

http://www.dvhrc.com/kutztown.html

Not so mini. A few hundred dealers, 2.5 days, a pretty good auction, fireworks, food, fun and so forth. Twice per year, this will be Kutztown XXXVIII.

I run a vintage radio clinic at the Club Table - diagnosis and basic repairs - for those who wish to learn.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
 
On 5/1/18 9:03 AM, jurb6006@gmail.com wrote:

[ usual chest beating drivel snipped ]

You really are a legend in your own mind.


--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com
 
>"[ usual chest beating drivel..."

That's the best you can do bitch ?
You're alot of fun, know that ? It's like teasing some cunt with a piece of candy. No wait, it is nowhere near that challenging.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Nice to have time on my hands. Now lesse, that court case you mentioned. If it is not total bullshit then you should be findable. No court order or anything. Box of envelopes, some stamps, LASER printer.

When did you stop beating your Wife ? Doing crack ? Molesting little boys ? Ascared to answer ?

Be patient, I might have to break into my stash and buy some toner and paper.

Hmmm, Motorola, I know it is in my history. But then maybe it was a figment of someone's imagination, like their maturity, their competence, their common sense not to say shit they obviously know absolutely nothing about. We'll see.

BTW, expert witness on what ? Fellatio ?
 
Typical Murphy's law. Got it all apart, fired it up and no sign of arcing.

Do I run it apart forever or paste a picture of myself inside ? (I know the latter might be a scary thought but sometimes more severe measures are required)
 
On 2018/05/01 7:25 AM, jurb6006@gmail.com wrote:
"As Kutztown is at the end of next week..."

Kutztown ? Do they have like a mini hamfest type of thing there ?
Click to expand...

Go to rec.antiques.radio+phono to find out...it has been on for many a
year now.

John :-#)#

--
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the USENET newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd.
MOVED to #7 - 3979 Marine Way, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5J 5E3
(604)872-5757 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."
 
On 5/1/18 10:41 AM, jurb6006@gmail.com wrote:
> That's the best you can do bitch ?

It worked, it got you all wound up in a knot.
Do you eat with that same mouth?

--
"I am a river to my people."
Jeff-1.0
WA6FWi
http:foxsmercantile.com
 
>"It worked, it got you all wound up in a knot. "

No it didn't, I just put you in your place nice and calm like.

Was it goood for you baby ?
 
Equus mortuus.
Non remanebit mortuum.
Continua percussione, non obstantibus quibuscumque.
Fiat ei requiem.

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

Einstein

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
 
On Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 2:52:24 PM UTC-5, pf...@aol.com wrote:
Equus mortuus.
Non remanebit mortuum.
Continua percussione, non obstantibus quibuscumque.
Fiat ei requiem.

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

Einstein

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
Click to expand...

ipse puer possit
 
On Tue, 1 May 2018 12:52:21 -0700 (PDT), "pfjw@aol.com"
<peterwieck33@gmail.com> wrote:

Equus mortuus.
Non remanebit mortuum.
Continua percussione, non obstantibus quibuscumque.
Fiat ei requiem.
Click to expand...

<https://www.google.com/search?q=translate%3A+Equus+mortuus.++Non+remanebit+mortuum.+Continua+percussione%2C+non+obstantibus+quibuscumque.+Fiat+ei+requiem.>
The horse is dead. It will remain dead. The stroke of the connected
activities, and in spite of whatever kind. Let it rest.

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
Einstein
Click to expand...

Therefore, the definition of sanity must be doing different things on
each attempt, which sounds much like trial and error.


--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
 
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