can trafo laminations rest on chassis?

[CarlyBoy]

I've got an old TEK LV transformer that I'd like to use as a power transformer for a project. It's large and heavy, so in an effort to lower the center of gravity of the finished unit, can I cut a square hole into the top plate and secure the transformer to the aluminum chassis with laminations resting against the top plate or is this a bad idea?

 

[Klimon]

That's how it's frequently done. To provide some sort of mechanical (vibrations) decoupling it's best to put a strip of rubber or similar between the trafo and the chassis. Then don't forget to electrically reconnect both parts of iron!

SImon

 

[CarlyBoy]

Good to know. Trick now will be to find a rubber strip narrow enough - not much room on the edge of this thing.

 

[Ty_Bower]

That's what I did with my PT. Cut a hole and let it drop through. It's not sitting exactly on the laminations, though. There is a nut on the end of the bolt that goes through the lams. I did not remove that nut before I mounted the transformer.

Aluminum chassis might be a good idea - easier to cut, and no magnetic interaction with the transformer.

 

[SigloOne]

try a mountain bike tire inner tube, just make sure the diameter is enough to cover the footprint.

 

[boywonder]

On a related note, is there any downside to mounting a transformer as shown?

I smoked my planned "upright mount" style hammond and had this through-the-deck mount style in the parts bin, so I mounted it on standoffs.

 

[HollowState]

None that I can think of beyond the normal hum pickup considerations. It's perfectly legal.

 

[nigelwright7557]

I've got an old TEK LV transformer that I'd like to use as a power transformer for a project. It's large and heavy, so in an effort to lower the center of gravity of the finished unit, can I cut a square hole into the top plate and secure the transformer to the aluminum chassis with laminations resting against the top plate or is this a bad idea?

If you bolt the transformer top and bottom you are creating a single shorted turn through the bolt and the chassis !

There was a warning against doing this when I recieved my transformer......

 

[HollowState]

Re: Re: can trafo laminations rest on chassis?

If you bolt the transformer top and bottom you are creating a single shorted turn through the bolt and the chassis !

Many transformers have a insulating shoulder washer on one end of the long bolt to prevent that when necessary. But I have also seen original transformers that do not. So I guess it depends on how the transformer is constructed.

edit: This may also depend on the material used for the bolt. Whether it is steel or non-magnetic (300 series) stainless steel.