Is my transformer defective?

[ByronInPortland]

I hooked up a new Antek AN4228 today. I tied the red primaries together and the black primaries together, which I'm sure is correct for 115VAC mains. With nothing attached to the secondaries, the bulb on my bulb tester lights up as bright as if it were in a lamp, and stays lit. This isn't supposed to happen, right? If I don't use a bulb tester, it blows a 6amp slo-blo fuse. I know it's not a short in the mains input module because the bulb goes off when I disconnect the transformer. I've never heard of a transformer arriving damaged/defective. Is there some other test I can do to confirm a short? It doesn't look damaged at all, though the plastic it's wrapped in is ripped at the edges a bit. In fact I think this is one of the ones they were selling cheap on e-bay because of their fire.

As I write this I'm becoming more convinced it's defective. So consider this post a warning about Antek's fire sale transformers.

-Byron

 

[tauro0221]

Hi,
Did you connect one pair only? See if by connecting the black wires pair you do not have a short. Repeat it with the red pair also and see if you do not have a short.

 

[AndrewT]

The cables could have the wrong colour codes.
That's why you must use that bulb tester.
Measure the primary resistances.
Measure the primary to primary isolation.
Then, as suggested above, test one primary at a time.

 

[AndrewT]

Note:
in post3 that "test one primary at a time" ONLY applies to countries that have 100Vac or 110/120Vac mains electricity.

In countries with 220/240Vac, one must NEVER connect a 110/120Vac primary to a 220/240Vac supply.