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Re: Xformer any one??? (fwd)




From: 	Adam[SMTP:absmith-at-tiac-dot-net]
Sent: 	Sunday, November 30, 1997 11:13 AM
To: 	Tesla List
Subject: 	Re: Xformer any one??? (fwd)


>I was wondering if anyone in the group has laying around one of those
>ignition transformers used in the making of the Information Unlimited's 12"
>Tesla coil it's  a 6000 volt single terminal 20ma made by jefferson electric.

The best place to get one of these for free is from a plumbing/heating 
business.  These guys will definitely have these laying around.  You may 
want to look in the yellow pages under "oil burner repair" also, in my 
yellow pages there are several entries, all of whom are bound to have 
these things lying around.  Most of my ignition transformers have come 
from the side of the road.  Up here in massachusetts it is not uncommon 
to see complete oil burners (often with water heater still attached) out 
for the trash.  These transformers are typically 10kV 23mA.

Now, the 6kV 20mA transformers show up in a few places.  The only piece 
of equipment from which I have ever personally removed one of these 
single terminal 6kV jefferson units was a large outdoor 'bug zapper'.  
The bug zapper also contained a doorknob cap 1400pF -at- 30kV, also useful.  
These 6kV units are also found occasionally in oil burner service, 
depending on where you live.  Finally, transformers in the 4.5kV-15kV 
range -at- 20-30mA are used for powering neon signs, so sign shops might 
have on of these for you.  

To summarize, get on the phone and you're bound to find something useful 
if you call enough sign shops and heating guys.  Some of the guys on this 
list have also gone "dumpster diving" behind these businesses for their 
goods :-) Often, sign shops would rather throw out the transformers than 
give them to you, for liability reasons- it's a sad situation.

Good Luck!

-Adam

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Epoch, Inc. Digital Music Project

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