Yet Another MOT project
 

Basically I want to try and do what Circlotron did, cut apart a welded microwave oven transformer and re-wind it. I'd dunk the thing in some acetone to loosen the coils and basically cut windings away until I get the bare core. It doesn't look like this one came with a bobbin so I'd probably have to make one on my own. I'm looking to make a 625VCT transformer with windings for 5V and 6.3V. Based on a 125V primary those are winding ratios of 1:5, 25:1 and 20:1 (6.25V). I'd love to have 200mA on the HV, 5A on the 6.3 and 3A on the 5V, but I think the transformer is a bit bigger than 110VA.

Certainly an ambitious project. I have no funds at the moment but I figure that at some point, I'll pick up one of those DIY bobbin winders off eBay that counts revolutions, and have a go. I have no clue about which windings to interleave, and what layers to use for the low voltage, or what thickness magnet wire to use for x current running through it, but it'd be a cool experiment. :smash:

So how ridiculously impossible is this? I believe that it'll be possible to have a nice custom PT. Hassle seems to outweigh the price of a transformer but the glowing, tingling feeling of doing something on your own seems like a benefit. I'd post a pic of the transformer but you get the idea - thick thick primary, hair-thin secondary, ugly welds across all laminations and between E and I sections, and from both sides to a bottom plate with screw holes.

Any thoughts? Anyone gone through all this trouble? Very likely I'll see the light and just not do it, but who knows. I can be stubborn :cool: