Hi Everyone!
I am the proud new owner of a salvaged Variac.
I believe it's a Staco 122-0617. Here are a couple pics of it:
It also came with a cover plate, but I left that off to help with my questions. It was wall mounted, and so came with no case. That is the first of my questions.
It did not come with the panel (is there a proper term for this?) that allows you to hook up to an outlet (usually the one on the case). Is it safe to use it without this panel? Can I hook an outlet directly up to the wires?
This is the panel I am referring to:
Also, I am interested in building a case for it, but I wanted to wait until I could find the parts. That leads me to my 2nd question. Is there parts available for these units? I have searched Google quite a bit, but either they're hard to find, or I'm not looking with the right keywords.
Thanks for any help you can provide!
I am the proud new owner of a salvaged Variac.
It also came with a cover plate, but I left that off to help with my questions. It was wall mounted, and so came with no case. That is the first of my questions.
It did not come with the panel (is there a proper term for this?) that allows you to hook up to an outlet (usually the one on the case). Is it safe to use it without this panel? Can I hook an outlet directly up to the wires?
This is the panel I am referring to:
Also, I am interested in building a case for it, but I wanted to wait until I could find the parts. That leads me to my 2nd question. Is there parts available for these units? I have searched Google quite a bit, but either they're hard to find, or I'm not looking with the right keywords.
Thanks for any help you can provide!
I assume you got this so you could "power up" other equipment from your mains voltage (120 / 240?). However, the wire size seems huge compared to the physical size of the whole unit, so it could be designed for a LOWER voltage than regular mains voltage. If you can't positively identify it, maybe you should stop here.
If do find that it is designed for your 120 (or 240) line voltage, then wiring directly to the terminals or existing pigtails should be OK.
Doubt that you would find any "spare parts" for it at any prices you would be willing to pay. So you're faced with finding a suitable enclosure. I would NOT RECOMMEND your using it "NAKED" without an enclosure AND FUSE IT PROPERLY. For convenience, while you are at it, add an AC voltmeter and ammeter, if you can acquire them reasonably.
Hate to say this, but if you're not sure or comfortable with what you are doing - then DON'T DO IT. You are dealing with lethal voltages / currents.
Charles
If do find that it is designed for your 120 (or 240) line voltage, then wiring directly to the terminals or existing pigtails should be OK.
Doubt that you would find any "spare parts" for it at any prices you would be willing to pay. So you're faced with finding a suitable enclosure. I would NOT RECOMMEND your using it "NAKED" without an enclosure AND FUSE IT PROPERLY. For convenience, while you are at it, add an AC voltmeter and ammeter, if you can acquire them reasonably.
Hate to say this, but if you're not sure or comfortable with what you are doing - then DON'T DO IT. You are dealing with lethal voltages / currents.
Charles
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Hi Charles,
Yup! You are correct. I got this mainly for the initial power up of my guitar tube amps after build/mod. My mains voltage is 120V.
I did some more research and I was able to positively identify it. It is rated for 120V, and it's 10Amps.
That's a bummer about the parts though. You're right in that, unless I could stumble upon all the parts I would need for a good deal, I might end up better off buying a new one.
I'm pretty comfortable working with voltage /current at this level, and I for sure will be getting/making an enclosure and fusing it before I did anything else.
Thanks for the reply!
Bret
Yup! You are correct. I got this mainly for the initial power up of my guitar tube amps after build/mod. My mains voltage is 120V.
I did some more research and I was able to positively identify it. It is rated for 120V, and it's 10Amps.
That's a bummer about the parts though. You're right in that, unless I could stumble upon all the parts I would need for a good deal, I might end up better off buying a new one.
I'm pretty comfortable working with voltage /current at this level, and I for sure will be getting/making an enclosure and fusing it before I did anything else.
Thanks for the reply!
Bret
Ditto what Stellavox said.
However you can go on over to the big auction site
and contact the variac guy with the big green letters
who offers a life time guarantee on his remanufacture.
The wall plates are pretty substantial on these units.
We've used them in studios so we don't get the ELE
noise problems with cheap lighting variable rheostats.
Be patient and try to find a case or find a substitute case
for it.
However you can go on over to the big auction site
and contact the variac guy with the big green letters
who offers a life time guarantee on his remanufacture.
The wall plates are pretty substantial on these units.
We've used them in studios so we don't get the ELE
noise problems with cheap lighting variable rheostats.
Be patient and try to find a case or find a substitute case
for it.
Just from the source, StacoVT - Staco Energy Products Co.
I'd recommend fusing both the input and output. Autotransformers are easy to damage.
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Okay sure thing. I'll definitely work on my patience. I don't have an immediate need for this right now. I'll check out what the variac guy has to offer. Thanks for that!
Point noted. If I go the repair path, I'll for sure fuse both. Thanks!
You can not short a variable autotransformer, because it will be damaged, and usually not repairable. A fast blow fuse may save it.
Our lab has many types, from 10A single phase to 100A three phase.
A variable autotransformer must never be used without the proper fusing.
Ray, you mean a variac can be ruined by hooking up something
like a Hexfred and just letting it switch away until it melts through
the silver and down into the copper windings?
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