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Unknown Transformer

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LAN_403

Sparrow338

Thu Mar 17 2011, 04:14AM

Registered Member #661 Joined: Sat Apr 21 2007, 03:17AM
Location: Ventura, CA
Posts: 41

Hi all.
Iâ€™ve had this little transformer for a few years now and never really looked at it or tested it out. It came in a big box with several other low voltage transformers (none of which were related to this one). I have no idea what it came out of or where itâ€™s for, I could guess though. Figured Iâ€™d post it up here and see if anyone knows more about it than is just printed on it; get some more information on it before I use it for something.

Printed on one of itâ€™s sides is the following information: VARO; D.C. Power Supply; 971-0050-400; Input: 115V, 60Hz; Output: +14.5kV Peak At 0.73mA.

Itâ€™s about 6â€x3.5â€x3â€. One of the pictures shows the side taken off (just two sheet metal screws holding it on) and shows some of the mica insulation. From what I can see the entire unit seems to have about 3/16â€ layer of mica on all internal walls. Weights (guessing) around 4lbs.

Due too its DC output and its very low current I thought it might be for an ionizer, maybe a air filter set up. Although Iâ€™ve never seen an â€œall-in-oneâ€ unit like this, usually setups for those previously stated things are more "open". But then again I haven't seen too many of those rigs. I would imagine inside this little guy is a small setup transformer than a CW multiplier, but I don't really know.

Just interested on knowing what it was made for or what it came out of. Iâ€™ve done some searching around on Google and though the forum but I canâ€™t seem to find anything. Thought it might be a good idea to learn more about it before I plug it in and break itâ€¦ :)

-Sparrow

quicksilver

Thu Mar 17 2011, 07:09PM

Registered Member #1408 Joined: Fri Mar 21 2008, 03:49PM
Location: Oracle, AZ
Posts: 679

73 ma is not low current. However I agree w/ you that it could have a multiplier of some type within as it's somewhat small for the specs. The plugs are also unique & appear to be a design for a compartmentalized unit.
I'd say that it could be a mil-spec transformer by the looks of the plugs. The mica shielding and the tar doesn't allow any deeper inspection but it could be from some type of military use judging by the format of the numbers on the case..

James

Thu Mar 17 2011, 07:33PM

Registered Member #3610 Joined: Thu Jan 13 2011, 03:29AM
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 506

quicksilver wrote ...

73 ma is not low current. However I agree w/ you that it could have a multiplier of some type within as it's somewhat small for the specs. The plugs are also unique & appear to be a design for a compartmentalized unit.
I'd say that it could be a mil-spec transformer by the looks of the plugs. The mica shielding and the tar doesn't allow any deeper inspection but it could be from some type of military use judging by the format of the numbers on the case..

He said 0.73mA. Assuming that is correct, that's very low current, less than 1mA.

quicksilver

Thu Mar 17 2011, 08:06PM

Registered Member #1408 Joined: Fri Mar 21 2008, 03:49PM
Location: Oracle, AZ
Posts: 679

ohh. My bad. I just saw the decimal as well.

I also thought it may have been from a arc-light unit that was sold occasionally in parts (the whole unit is very large). But The one I had seen on eBay is gone.

James

Fri Mar 18 2011, 12:36AM

Registered Member #3610 Joined: Thu Jan 13 2011, 03:29AM
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 506

I can only speculate, but it seems like the sort of thing that may have come from a dielectric tester for insulation or oil. Also could have been an old air purifier or something of that nature. Either way it appears to be a simple iron transformer, I would hook it up and see what happens. You'll want to measure the secondary current under load to find out if it's a high leakage (current limited) transformer, otherwise be careful not to overload it.

Shrad

Fri Mar 18 2011, 09:36PM

Registered Member #3215 Joined: Sun Sept 19 2010, 08:42PM
Location:
Posts: 780

I have seen one time a similar unit (not that model though) in a cattle fence power supply

maybe this is the same setup, with internal pulse generator (a thyristor and a RC network, something like that)

quicksilver

Sun Mar 20 2011, 06:25PM

Registered Member #1408 Joined: Fri Mar 21 2008, 03:49PM
Location: Oracle, AZ
Posts: 679

Shrad wrote ...

I have seen one time a similar unit (not that model though) in a cattle fence power supply

maybe this is the same setup, with internal pulse generator (a thyristor and a RC network, something like that)

I can see the logic in this supposition however the majority I have seen had simpler labeling ("Fence" & "Ground"). This unit was obviously made for indoors as well & has what appears to be part coding.... It's a puzzle.

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