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Need some variacs in the UK

Hi all,

I need one, or possibly two, variacs. I've got a couple but they're open-frame and I'm fed up of having to put them in an enclosure and switch off the power to adjust them. Plus I'm planning to build them into a power supply and I'd like another for experiments. I'm looking for an enclosed, bench variac in a 240 V / 10 A rating or higher. I also might need a 415 V / 10 A variac in the future, but this could be open-frame, and I might consider a faulty three phase unit. Let me know if you have anything available, or know of any good sources of surplus.

Any suggestions appreciated.

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
christopher.tidy
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In article , snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com writes

Chris,

Try over in uk.rec.models.engineering, someone there may be able to help.

Cheers

Reply to
Nigel Eaton

Thanks, Nigel. I'll post a message there tomorrow.

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
christopher.tidy

Chris, I have a large one. I'll get specs tomorrow and advise. Bob

Reply to
rleonard

Thanks Bob. Are you in the US? If so I suspect shipping would make it uneconomic. If you're in the UK, I'd be grateful to know the spec.

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

According to :

Huh? Switch off the power to adjust them? What are you doing, adjusting by gripping and rotating the brush carrier? Any one you find should accept an insulated shaft (if genuine General Radio Variac), or with a built-in metal shaft (with other brands, which are called Powerstat or other similar names. "Variac" is not truly a generic term, but rather a brand name. I don't know what happened to General Radio who made them, but that is who used to make them.

Anyway -- the shaft comes out through the panel, and you can handle it with power on or off. the GR ones were insulated with a steel core, the brush holder is insulated from the shaft with the Powerstat and other models. Each company had their own private knob design. I really liked the GR knobs -- on lots of things, not just the Variacs.

If I had a 10A 240V one, I would be building into something else on my own. Besides -- the shipping would be a kiler from here.

Good Luck, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

I suspect that Christopher's ones have come out of a panel at some time and don't have any enclosure at all!

Mark Rand RTFM

Reply to
Mark Rand

Quite right, Mark. The brushes and track are exposed on the top. They will accept a shaft, which doesn't need to be insulating as the collars are lined with thick bakelite, but they need an enclosure as well as a knob and shaft. I've put them inside a powder-coated electrical box for now, and only adjust them when the power is switched off, but this is a nuisance. And as I said, I had my eye on these two for building into a power supply...

Best wishes,

Chris

Reply to
Christopher Tidy

They may *never* have been in an enclosure. I've got at least one 5A Variac in a fitted foam pack from General Radio. But -- it includes the shaft, the knob, and the dial plate for mounting when you put it in whatever you intend to use it with.

If you want it to be a benchtop one, you extend the shaft out the other side, mount it with the mounting face down, and put a fitted enclosure over it. (An alternative is to put it in a rectangular housing, with the knob facing out one of the large sides, and with an outlet and power cord coming out of other surfaces, along with an on/off switch, and (perhaps) a voltmeter.

Enjoy, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

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