So now that Aliexpress is off limits for this stuff in the US, and my last order came in today with two transformers wound custom just like the specs below except they made a mistake and wound the last tap for 05V and not 15. I'm highly annoyed for sure. I'm sure I'll find a use for them but until then...
Does anyone know companies that wind custom transformers in the US that can produce the following?
Custom voltage 30VA Transformer
0-115V Primary
Secondary Voltage
03.0W 08V 0.375A
03.0W 08V 0.375A
18.0W 08V 2.250A
06.0W 15V 0.400A
Does anyone know companies that wind custom transformers in the US that can produce the following?
Custom voltage 30VA Transformer
0-115V Primary
Secondary Voltage
03.0W 08V 0.375A
03.0W 08V 0.375A
18.0W 08V 2.250A
06.0W 15V 0.400A
I've seen https://toroid.com/ mentioned a few times and they seem to offer custom services, but I haven't really checked them out. A few years ago I got a couple from SumR/Primrose Audio, and figured my next one would probably come from https://toroidy.pl/. Now I'm not sure what I'll do when the time comes.
I've been tripped up on transformers a number of times recently. There are few if any economical options, but both Heyboer and Mercury Magnetics will wind custom transformers - pretty much anything you want. (Caveat, assuming they do not rely on any materials from China.)
The other option is to learn to wind your own, of course the winding equipment all came from China, so might look now for in country winding machines.
The other option is to learn to wind your own, of course the winding equipment all came from China, so might look now for in country winding machines.
We see sewing machine type hand ctanked machines with counter here, and for more money you can buy an electric powered one.
Provided you want to wind your own.
You will need cores, bobbins, wire, varish, insulating paper and so on.
I just got the coil on my Moser hair trimmer rewound, the guy who did it used a hand cranked machine, ideal for one off jobs.
He also makes transformers, those are wound on electric powered horizontal spindle machines, very much like a stripped down lathe.
Good time pass for a retired person, keep you fit mentally.
Tip : Use ready cores and bobbins, and E-I type construction, toroid is not for the new person, the machines are more complicated.
Provided you want to wind your own.
You will need cores, bobbins, wire, varish, insulating paper and so on.
I just got the coil on my Moser hair trimmer rewound, the guy who did it used a hand cranked machine, ideal for one off jobs.
He also makes transformers, those are wound on electric powered horizontal spindle machines, very much like a stripped down lathe.
Good time pass for a retired person, keep you fit mentally.
Tip : Use ready cores and bobbins, and E-I type construction, toroid is not for the new person, the machines are more complicated.
I don’t know where all this is headed, but I’m sure it’s not good. Last month I started doing lifetime buys for transformers and transformer materials. Got the last 2 rolls of #11 wire my supplier had, still looking for some #13. The “e-mail when it’s in stock” may never happen. Another Antek order on the way. So far that’s been business as usual, but that could change. It might be like the race to get the OnSemi parts you want before they go EOL/NLA.
The thing is, it still may be less expensive. I did a rough calculation of a large 50sq in board I did last year and JL with the tariff is still less, way less than the US supplier I have used for small boards. Run the numbers. The US transformer winders may be supplying mil and a few commercial customers where price is secondary or even tertiary.
Well, I did work for a defense company way back yonder and did see first hand how much they would pay. I recall an instance where masks were brought out of mothballs and the process brought up again for a part. But I will also say in many cases we are talking about actual lives at risk if it doesn't perform exactly to spec. The stakes are quite different. Do you really want to be the guy who makes the decision that kills someone to save 100 bucks?
Last Friday I went to order boards from my long favorite PCB house in HK, board cost was $51.50, at check out the total came to $271.00 - I don't know exactly how they came up with this number, but not my default shipping option, and DHL was shown with brokerage fees, processing fees and tariff added. I didn't proceed further with the check out process. The cheapest U.S. option was just over $300 for just 3 boards.
I tried a new supplier also based in HK, during sign up I was asked to confirm whether I was an individual and not a business. Total came to $76 with new customer discount applied for 5 boards, shipping by DHL. Just confirmed delivery instructions with DHL so maybe this will work.
My feeling is that at 5X what I previously paid that these purchases are completely discretionary and I am simply going to pause builds if the economics don't look right to me. Oshpark is an option for small boards, but at a certain point as board area increases becomes increasingly unattractive from a cost standpoint. I think this threshold is around 10 - 15sq inches or so.
I tried a new supplier also based in HK, during sign up I was asked to confirm whether I was an individual and not a business. Total came to $76 with new customer discount applied for 5 boards, shipping by DHL. Just confirmed delivery instructions with DHL so maybe this will work.
My feeling is that at 5X what I previously paid that these purchases are completely discretionary and I am simply going to pause builds if the economics don't look right to me. Oshpark is an option for small boards, but at a certain point as board area increases becomes increasingly unattractive from a cost standpoint. I think this threshold is around 10 - 15sq inches or so.
My next thought was looking to see if India could come to the rescue. I don't really want to get involved with winding my own but would definitely try one from India. Do you know anyone there that would wind a transformer like the one I posted above?
This was my thinking... Before all this the transformer was $27 so if the tariff is 125% that bring it to just under $61. Shipping was like $24. That would bring the price to somewhere around $145 for 2 shipped. In this instance I'm ok with it but the problem is they're just blocking the item based on geolocation or you're seeing like a 500% markup. I don't know weather its just confusion, price gouging, or they just don't want to deal with it until a resolution is reached.
I'm all for buying in the US if you can but it'll take a few years for some shop to stand up and start making stuff like this so until then we either pause builds or find other avenues like India.
I have emails into edcor and another place in IN but I know with edcor you have to pay their design fee on top of what ever you order so I could see those two transformers costing like $300 shipped so in that case, if the tariff was charged correctly it's still cheaper
There are many winders in India, and many transformer makers.
But the big cost, way more than transformer, will be shipment and customs fees, and US Customs will be suspicious of a new supplier.
And no, I am not getting involved here, not my line of business, and I do not deal with fussy customers.
The man who did this for me has all of two employees, this is the third or fourth blind repair he has done, all went well.
First was another hair trimmer coil, then a contactor coil, then the mains transformer for a Kenwood KA-36 combo unit (amp supply is also used for tuner and cassette), and now this trimmer.
Except for the contactor, all were reverse engineered, bobbins and core needed were made for old trimmer and amp, which is why I called it a blind repair, made a substitute that worked properly without a problem, even lowering secondary volts on amp, so less issue with high volts and amp heating (it has a STK4141 module as amp section).
Transformer would be about $50, and maybe at least 5 kilos.
There are business sites for Indian businesses, try and find a supplier in a location that will allow fast shipping.
You are looking at a bare minimum of $15 per kilo as shipping charges, which may increase for small items, and volume charges.
Add import duties (may not apply below $2000 personal import annual limit in USA), so that transformer will cost $150 landed in NYC.
But the big cost, way more than transformer, will be shipment and customs fees, and US Customs will be suspicious of a new supplier.
And no, I am not getting involved here, not my line of business, and I do not deal with fussy customers.
The man who did this for me has all of two employees, this is the third or fourth blind repair he has done, all went well.
First was another hair trimmer coil, then a contactor coil, then the mains transformer for a Kenwood KA-36 combo unit (amp supply is also used for tuner and cassette), and now this trimmer.
Except for the contactor, all were reverse engineered, bobbins and core needed were made for old trimmer and amp, which is why I called it a blind repair, made a substitute that worked properly without a problem, even lowering secondary volts on amp, so less issue with high volts and amp heating (it has a STK4141 module as amp section).
Transformer would be about $50, and maybe at least 5 kilos.
There are business sites for Indian businesses, try and find a supplier in a location that will allow fast shipping.
You are looking at a bare minimum of $15 per kilo as shipping charges, which may increase for small items, and volume charges.
Add import duties (may not apply below $2000 personal import annual limit in USA), so that transformer will cost $150 landed in NYC.
You also need people to do the work, and they will only do it if they can make a decent living. So the transformers will not be cheap. Great times ahead for DIY!
Toroidy is great. I've dealt with them a few times now and always received good products. Toroidy.pl. Decidedly not in the US, though.
Antek is okay, but I doubt they wind anything in the US, so that likely solves nothing when it comes to the tariffs.
Edcor is good, but do they have toroids?
Hammond is also good, but also not in the US. The US tariffs imposed on Canadian made products are likely lower, so that could bring the total cost down. That said, I don't know for sure if their manufacturing is in Canada or elsewhere. If the country of origin is elsewhere my point could be moot.
Plitron used to manufacture in Canada and maybe they still do for some products. It looks like they've been bought by Noratel, which manufactures in Denmark (I thought I recognized that porcupine logo!): https://www.noratel.com/products/type/rt/. Maybe now that Noratel owns them they'll bother to respond to a quote request.
As for PCB manufacturing, I suggest having a look at Digikey's DK Red service. It's a similar model to OSH Park where you buy a small number of boards for a low price. They will tell you who the manufacturer is, even before you buy, and from there you should be able to figure out where to take your boards if you need more than the 4-5 you get from Digikey. They manufacture in Murica.
Tom
Antek is okay, but I doubt they wind anything in the US, so that likely solves nothing when it comes to the tariffs.
Edcor is good, but do they have toroids?
Hammond is also good, but also not in the US. The US tariffs imposed on Canadian made products are likely lower, so that could bring the total cost down. That said, I don't know for sure if their manufacturing is in Canada or elsewhere. If the country of origin is elsewhere my point could be moot.
Plitron used to manufacture in Canada and maybe they still do for some products. It looks like they've been bought by Noratel, which manufactures in Denmark (I thought I recognized that porcupine logo!): https://www.noratel.com/products/type/rt/. Maybe now that Noratel owns them they'll bother to respond to a quote request.
As for PCB manufacturing, I suggest having a look at Digikey's DK Red service. It's a similar model to OSH Park where you buy a small number of boards for a low price. They will tell you who the manufacturer is, even before you buy, and from there you should be able to figure out where to take your boards if you need more than the 4-5 you get from Digikey. They manufacture in Murica.
Tom