Toroidal mains transformer

bigwill · 29th March 2006, 11:55 AM

I have a toroidal mains transformer lying around. I want to use it as an audio step-up transformer just to test my experiments, I know the quality wont be very good. Will this blow up my amp? My load will probably have a low capacitance and I will not be driving it very hard, I just want to get sound. I'm unsure of the ratio of the transformer but it has two primary leads and four secondary leads so it must be a dual secondary step down transformer. I will drive the secondaries with the amp and use the high voltage output across the primary (I don't need a center tap at the moment). Is there anything particularly wrong with doing this?

SY · 29th March 2006, 12:24 PM

Whether or not your amp will blow up is one of those unanswerable questions until you try it. That's part of the fun and adventure of DIY.

For an ESL, you do want a very high step-up ratio, so parallel the secondaries and use the primary as the ESL drive. What are you planning to do about the needed center tap? Are there dual primaries, too? That would be ideal.

One thing to watch for is insulation failure, so if you see or hear any sparks, smoke, or what-have-you, be ready to do an emergency shut-down.

rcavictim · 29th March 2006, 12:38 PM

If you can put a one ohm power resistor in series with the sand amp and the transformer for the initial testing you will make it easier on the amplifier.while finding out generally if your idea is going to work or not.

bigwill · 29th March 2006, 01:17 PM

I guess I could tap a battery to the terminals to get sound but that's not as fun as music

Bazukaz · 29th March 2006, 01:32 PM

Watch here :
new Trannies

bobo1on1 · 29th March 2006, 06:39 PM

The sound quality of those transformers is pretty good.
If you don't drive it with more voltage than the transformer was originally designed for you can be sure your amp won't blow up.

bigwill · 29th March 2006, 08:18 PM

Hrm, $4.00, that's pretty insane. Shame they're out of stock. I wonder what the equivalent thing is here in the UK

29th March 2006, 11:55 AM	#1
bigwill General Nuisance diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: UK	Toroidal mains transformer I have a toroidal mains transformer lying around. I want to use it as an audio step-up transformer just to test my experiments, I know the quality wont be very good. Will this blow up my amp? My load will probably have a low capacitance and I will not be driving it very hard, I just want to get sound. I'm unsure of the ratio of the transformer but it has two primary leads and four secondary leads so it must be a dual secondary step down transformer. I will drive the secondaries with the amp and use the high voltage output across the primary (I don't need a center tap at the moment). Is there anything particularly wrong with doing this?

29th March 2006, 12:24 PM	#2
SY diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Chicagoland Blog Entries: 1	Whether or not your amp will blow up is one of those unanswerable questions until you try it. That's part of the fun and adventure of DIY. For an ESL, you do want a very high step-up ratio, so parallel the secondaries and use the primary as the ESL drive. What are you planning to do about the needed center tap? Are there dual primaries, too? That would be ideal. One thing to watch for is insulation failure, so if you see or hear any sparks, smoke, or what-have-you, be ready to do an emergency shut-down. __________________ If there's a sucker born every minute, where do the rest of them come from?

29th March 2006, 12:38 PM	#3
rcavictim diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Cool end of a soldering iron NW of Toronto	If you can put a one ohm power resistor in series with the sand amp and the transformer for the initial testing you will make it easier on the amplifier.while finding out generally if your idea is going to work or not. __________________ I.Q.Test. Have you ever purchased a recreational snowmobile?

29th March 2006, 06:39 PM	#6
bobo1on1 diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Tulips, windmills and wooden shoes.	Re: Toroidal mains transformer The sound quality of those transformers is pretty good. If you don't drive it with more voltage than the transformer was originally designed for you can be sure your amp won't blow up.

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29th March 2006, 01:17 PM	#4
bigwill General Nuisance diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: UK	I guess I could tap a battery to the terminals to get sound but that's not as fun as music

29th March 2006, 01:32 PM	#5
Bazukaz diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Vilnius	Watch here : new Trannies

29th March 2006, 08:18 PM	#7
bigwill General Nuisance diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: UK	Hrm, $4.00, that's pretty insane. Shame they're out of stock. I wonder what the equivalent thing is here in the UK

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