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Re: flyback transformers

Hi Ken, All,
    Go to a TV repair shop and say that you are building a Tesla coil
for a science project.  Ask if they have any older type flyback
transformers.  Be knowledgeable about high voltage safety.  Many of
the proprieters that I got high voltage goodies from were very
concerned about lawsuits from ignorant experimenters.  If you can show
them a picture or a schematic from an article in a magazine it will
help a lot.  If you are offered a choice go for the RCA FLY100.  It is
the crem de la crem of flybacks.

    Southern California is a goldmine for high voltage things.  If I
were hunting for flybacks, or high voltage parts and apparatus in
general, I would initiate the search pattern in the following order:

1.  Contact the Tesla list members that live in southern California.
2.  Look up all of the TV repair shops in the area from the yellow
pages.
3.  Look for older motels.  Ask if they have any old TVs that you
could use for parts in a science project.
3.  Go to the local dump and look for older model TVs in wooden
consoles with feet.
4.  Make friends with the dump monitor.  Offer a dollar for each TV
that he snags from the bulldozer.
5.  Antique shops.  Sometimes they will sell older model TVs.  Tell
them about your science project and maybe they will let you off with a
low price.  Worked for me+ACE-
6.  Electronic repair and or manufacturing firms.  Ask for a tour.
7.  Ravines.  People really hate having to haul heavy stuff to the
dump.  Check for ravines behind hotels, motels, and especially behind
farmers houses (with permision).
8.  Trailer parks.  Check the periphery.
9.  Small regular or dirt roads in wooded areas.  Look for turn around
pull offs.  Search the flora.
10.  Dumpsters+ACE-  You would not believe what you can find in these
sometimes, especially behind scientific or medical electronics firms.
Be carefull though.  Sometimes wild dogs sleep in these things+ACEAIQAh-
Getting permission can also be very tricky.
11.  Garbage person.  Ask your garbage person if they would keep a
look out for older TVs.  Offer an invitation to see the finished
project.
12.  Buried and hidden land fills.  Sometimes you can find these by
examining animal burrows for metallic and semiconductor parts or even
wires.  This is very dangerous in southern California.  You will dig
up tarantulas, rattle snakes, scorpions (the giant safe ones and the
tiny instant death kind), black widow spiders, etc.
13.  DRMO.  Defense Reutilization Maintenance Organization (sp).  Find
a military base.  Call them up and get the hours of the DRMO for over
the counter sails and bids.  Sometimes you can find pallets of old
TVs, lasers, oscilloscopes, and other electronics at unbelievable
prices.  Most items are not functional.  I got some of my best HV
stuff here.

    These are but a few of my favorite places.  The rest I will leave
up to your imagination.


-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla List +ADw-tesla+AEA-pupman-dot-com+AD4-
To: tesla+AEA-pupman-dot-com +ADw-tesla+AEA-pupman-dot-com+AD4-
Date: Sunday, March 21, 1999 4:46 AM
Subject: flyback transformers


Original Poster: +ACI-Ken Donnell+ACI- +ADw-bigken+AEA-a.crl-dot-com+AD4-

Does anybody know an off-the-shelf source for the old-style flyback
transformers that didn't have diodes and suchlike molded on the
secondary
coil (or is there a way of shorting out these diodes to get AC
out...)?
I've tried searching for junk TVs, but no luck--seems nobody throws
away
anything that old around here (south California).

Thanks,
Ken Donnell