Power transformer question (Bud?? calling Bud)

moonbird · 10th March 2010, 06:05 PM

Can anyone help me understand what a "vibrator" tranformer is? From what I can gather, it is a tranformer that steps up battery level DC to higher voltage. Guess they were in old autos -- stepping up voltages from the battery for tube radio use. I presume this topology got replaced by the 12V space charged tube lines -- right?

Is it possible to step up DC to DC or am I not reading things right? Does anyone still make these? Why did they go away? -- was it that this topology didn't work well or was it part of the overall move to the smaller tube packages.

Thx.

Svein_B · 10th March 2010, 06:30 PM

The reason they lost their popularity was the transistor.
(even us guys in the tube forum are probably vaguely familiar with them).

The vibrator makes a buzzing sound, and makes AC from the car's 12V so it can be transformed up to a couple 100 volts and rectified for tube power.

You can find some on Ebay if you want: vibrator transformer, eBay Motors, Toys Hobbies. Great deals on eBay!

moonbird · 10th March 2010, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svein_B

The reason they lost their popularity was the transistor.

Thanks much for the info -- not sure where the transistor fits in -- sorry for my denseness.

OneyedK · 10th March 2010, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonbird

-- not sure where the transistor fits in --

Transistor circuits don't need high voltage, they can be fed directly from a 12V car battery...

coldcathode · 10th March 2010, 08:27 PM

A Vibrator was used to convert DC to AC then a transformer could step up the voltage and then you could rectify it BACK to a higher voltage DC. Can't "step up" DC voltage in the NON-TRANSISTORIZED realm.

moonbird · 10th March 2010, 09:20 PM

Soooo - we are talking about two different devices here -- there is the vibrator which is presumably some kinda oscillator that takes 12V DC and makes it 12V AC (or thereabouts -- probably some loss). THEN the "vibrator" transformer (so named because it took 12V AC input) did the step-up . OK I got it -- thx again.

DigitalJunkie · 10th March 2010, 11:53 PM

Some info on vibrator supplies..

Vibrator Power Supplies
B+ Power Supplies

Gary P · 11th March 2010, 03:04 PM

Just think of a vibrator power supply as a very early switching supply...

TheGimp · 11th March 2010, 03:20 PM

The vibrator can be viewed as a specialized type of relay wired with one set of NC contacts in series with the input voltage to the coil. A second set of contacts controls power to the vibrator transformer.

When power is applied, the coil is energizes through the NC contact and field piece pulls in breaking the NC contact and killing power to the coil. It oscillates. Switching time is controlled by mechanical design, spring strength to filed piece, coil strength, etc.

Svein_B · 11th March 2010, 04:19 PM

I had not seen this one:

B+ Power Supplies

With mechanical rectifier, making a virtual DC-to-DC transformer.

SveinB

10th March 2010, 06:05 PM	#1
moonbird diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2008	Power transformer question (Bud?? calling Bud) Can anyone help me understand what a "vibrator" tranformer is? From what I can gather, it is a tranformer that steps up battery level DC to higher voltage. Guess they were in old autos -- stepping up voltages from the battery for tube radio use. I presume this topology got replaced by the 12V space charged tube lines -- right? Is it possible to step up DC to DC or am I not reading things right? Does anyone still make these? Why did they go away? -- was it that this topology didn't work well or was it part of the overall move to the smaller tube packages. Thx. __________________ "Life is hard -- afterall it kills you ..." Katharine Hepburn

10th March 2010, 09:20 PM	#6
moonbird diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2008	Different things yes? Soooo - we are talking about two different devices here -- there is the vibrator which is presumably some kinda oscillator that takes 12V DC and makes it 12V AC (or thereabouts -- probably some loss). THEN the "vibrator" transformer (so named because it took 12V AC input) did the step-up . OK I got it -- thx again. __________________ "Life is hard -- afterall it kills you ..." Katharine Hepburn

11th March 2010, 03:04 PM	#8
Gary P diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Portland OR	Just think of a vibrator power supply as a very early switching supply... __________________ http://www.pimmlabs.com/

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10th March 2010, 06:30 PM	#2
Svein_B diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2005	The reason they lost their popularity was the transistor. (even us guys in the tube forum are probably vaguely familiar with them). The vibrator makes a buzzing sound, and makes AC from the car's 12V so it can be transformed up to a couple 100 volts and rectified for tube power. You can find some on Ebay if you want: vibrator transformer, eBay Motors, Toys Hobbies. Great deals on eBay!

10th March 2010, 08:27 PM	#5
coldcathode diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2009	A Vibrator was used to convert DC to AC then a transformer could step up the voltage and then you could rectify it BACK to a higher voltage DC. Can't "step up" DC voltage in the NON-TRANSISTORIZED realm.

10th March 2010, 11:53 PM	#7
DigitalJunkie diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Portland,Oregon Blog Entries: 4	Some info on vibrator supplies.. Vibrator Power Supplies B+ Power Supplies

11th March 2010, 03:20 PM	#9
TheGimp diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Johnson City, TN	The vibrator can be viewed as a specialized type of relay wired with one set of NC contacts in series with the input voltage to the coil. A second set of contacts controls power to the vibrator transformer. When power is applied, the coil is energizes through the NC contact and field piece pulls in breaking the NC contact and killing power to the coil. It oscillates. Switching time is controlled by mechanical design, spring strength to filed piece, coil strength, etc.

11th March 2010, 04:19 PM	#10
Svein_B diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2005	I had not seen this one: B+ Power Supplies With mechanical rectifier, making a virtual DC-to-DC transformer. SveinB

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