WOPL 400 Down Under

MarkWComer

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Victim of the record bug since age five
TImmie
There are pictures and hints in the assembly instructions. A good idea is to thread in one of the 6-32 x 1/2" screws into each right up to the kapton lid which you must leave on. That added weight will help keep the nut flush and square during the soldering process. I use conical springs that are also pictured in the assembly instructions as a hint. Folks that do a lot of the backplane assemblies often use the conical springs as well.

Using those make it a lot easier.
“Keep the nut flush and square…”

Crucial if you expect the screws that hold the transistors to go in correctly!
 
Joined
May 24, 2021
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61
I haven't really progressed with my build lately and waiting patiently for my next WO shipment to arrive but today I saw this on marketplace and purchased it.(Beer can for size reference)
It weighs a ton so I can only assume it will more than do the job. It cost me US$100 which is a very good price in Australia.
The seller told me it is a dual 10a output Variac with an inbuilt isolation transformer.
I've never used or seen one before so wanted opinions from the great knowledge base here.
 

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George S.

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That's a very nice unit. Should be a manufacturer's tag with name and model # on the unit. Look for a operators manual online.
Get some practice using it on good working items like table lamps, table radios, and electric motors to familiarize yourself with it. I often use a Variac on my drill press to really slow it down when drilling large holes in heavy metal.
The isolation transformer is often used for working on old radios that have hot chassis. Still has value today if you start using test equipment.
Hope you can find a manual for it. I haven't been in the hobby long, but haven't seen those threaded three pin connectors before.
 

gene french

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guayabo de bagaces, guanacaste, costa rica....
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music...the healer of souls...
That's a very nice unit. Should be a manufacturer's tag with name and model # on the unit. Look for a operators manual online.
Get some practice using it on good working items like table lamps, table radios, and electric motors to familiarize yourself with it. I often use a Variac on my drill press to really slow it down when drilling large holes in heavy metal.
The isolation transformer is often used for working on old radios that have hot chassis. Still has value today if you start using test equipment.
Hope you can find a manual for it. I haven't been in the hobby long, but haven't seen those threaded three pin connectors before.
two inputs??
 

gene french

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Mar 6, 2022
Messages
5,014
Location
guayabo de bagaces, guanacaste, costa rica....
Tagline
music...the healer of souls...
I haven't really progressed with my build lately and waiting patiently for my next WO shipment to arrive but today I saw this on marketplace and purchased it.(Beer can for size reference)
It weighs a ton so I can only assume it will more than do the job. It cost me US$100 which is a very good price in Australia.
The seller told me it is a dual 10a output Variac with an inbuilt isolation transformer.
I've never used or seen one before so wanted opinions from the great knowledge base here.
that will look super cool on your test bench!!!
 

laatsch55

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Halfbiass...Electron Herder and Backass Woof
That's a very nice unit. Should be a manufacturer's tag with name and model # on the unit. Look for a operators manual online.
Get some practice using it on good working items like table lamps, table radios, and electric motors to familiarize yourself with it. I often use a Variac on my drill press to really slow it down when drilling large holes in heavy metal.
The isolation transformer is often used for working on old radios that have hot chassis. Still has value today if you start using test equipment.
Hope you can find a manual for it. I haven't been in the hobby long, but haven't seen those threaded three pin connectors before.
Standard Amphenol MS 31... series. I use gobs of those things in the oilfield.
 
Joined
May 24, 2021
Messages
61
It was originally purchased at government auctions and has a tag from the Dept of supply. I can't even find what that department morphed into so any documentation available is unlikely.
I tested it earlier and it worked fine with an incandescent bulb however it has a very loud hum. Is it likely that is due to vibration not transformer related? Or is it just the nature of the beast
 

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gene french

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Mar 6, 2022
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guayabo de bagaces, guanacaste, costa rica....
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music...the healer of souls...
It was originally purchased at government auctions and has a tag from the Dept of supply. I can't even find what that department morphed into so any documentation available is unlikely.
I tested it earlier and it worked fine with an incandescent bulb however it has a very loud hum. Is it likely that is due to vibration not transformer related? Or is it just the nature of the beast
tighten down the transformer???
worked on my pl200...
 
Joined
May 24, 2021
Messages
61
Do Variac's need servicing?
I mean apart from a good clean of the visible stuff is there anything I should look for or fix?
 

laatsch55

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Halfbiass...Electron Herder and Backass Woof
Tim, measure the diameter of the barrel on those Amphenol fitting and I'll give you a part number to look on Ebay, there's always MS series on ebay.

Not much for maintenance....a fuse once in awhile...LOL...
 
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