Re: Variac Troubles -Oops!

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Marry Krutsch by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <u236-at-earthlink-dot-net>

Hi Guys,

	Responding to my own post here.  A word of advice to all:  Don't
inspect new equipment while tired ;-)).  I tackled the thing again, with
the benefit of some sleep, and found that it IS a 120VAC unit, probably
rated for 70 amps.  I believe it to be a "standard" Powerstat 1156. 
There are two windings in parallel, wound on the same core type as the
1256, although they disguise this very well ;-)).  Those wires are hard
to trace, even though there aren't very many of them.

	More questions...  I didn't clean the area where the brushes slide
across the windings, so the brushes spark when controlling even a lowly
12/60 NST.  Will a simple contact cleaning fix this?  This variac was
left outside for a LONG time, and had dirt in the windings and all the
bearings/contacts.  The oxide coat on winding is pretty thick.  What
have you guys found to reduce brush sparking???  I want to put a few
taps on this thing, but don't quite know what I'm getting into here. 
Suggestions???

Now feeling quite stupid,
Winston K.

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Marry Krutsch by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <u236-at-earthlink-dot-net>
> 
> Hi All,
> 
>         I just bought what APPEARED to be a 1256 Powerstat variac.  The
trouble
> is, it saturates beyond 120 VAC in.  The new unit is identical to my
> existing 1256, except for the wiring beneath the binding posts.  The new
> unit looks like it uses the whole winding, but there are wires that go
> someplace INSIDE the core.  I can't tell where these wires go.
> 
>         Is it possible that this variac uses a different core material, which
> saturates more easily?  I say again that the two units are IDENTICAL in
> every way other than that stated above.
> 
> Please help, I'm stumped :-P.
> Winston K.