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Re: Fried Franceformer


> Original Poster: "Adam" <adamsmith@mediaone.net>


> > Original Poster: "Ron West" <ronwes1@juno.com>


> > I though it would never happen, not to me.  But I fried one leg of my
> > 15/30 Franceformer. I have been reading all the posts of how to de-pot a
> > transformer, but after I do that what I am (probably) looking for to
fix?
> > Is the damage usually due to burned wiring, or carbon tracking, or what?



> If you desire to unpot the transformer for a hands-on NST education,
that's
> fine, but I personally don't think it's worth saving a 30mA unit.
> De-potting and fixing a neon transformer is a very nasty and time
consuming
> job, it's hazardous to your health, and it will likely cost you more in
> cleaning supplies than the cost of another transformer.


> I just rebuilt a France 12/60, my first de-pot in over 2 years, and the
cost
> breakdown was thus:
>
>     Franceformer 12/60              $50  (neon sign shop)
>
>     Aluminum pan to collect tar      $3
>     5 gallon gas can                 $5
>     5 gallons of gasoline            $6
>     5 gal pail                       $2
>     2 gal pail                       $1.50
>     1 pair neoprene gloves           $3
>     2 750 watt hotplates            $23
>     1 gallon isopropyl alcohol       $8
>
> My depotting costs:                 $51.50
>
>
> The depotting took me 3.5 weeks total, including about 12 solid hours of
> manual cleaning and rebuilding.  The rest of the time was due to the
> extended amount of gasoline soaking required.  I disassembled the
> transformer while it was still hot, and wiped off as much tar as I could,
> but it still took 2 full weeks before enough tar was dissolved to proceed
to
> the manual wipe-down cleaning phase.
>
> -Adam
> adamsmith@mediaone.net>
>


    I know lots of people know this, but others don't. D-limonene does the
best job of dissolving transformer potting tar. Leave a transformer in it at
room temperature for a day or two and it will be totally clean. With a brush
and some effort (and a lot of mess) d-limonene will get a transformer
spotless in less than .5 hours.
    I also have also totally cleaned transformers of tar by immersing them
in kerosene on a hot plate on low. In six hours the transformer was totally
clean. Now I don't recommend doing this. If you make it too hot you will
have a fire. If you do do it, have a fire extinguisher handy and do it
outside. Don't heat D-limonene. I believe it is way more volatile than
kerosene. It would probably flash. Kerosene will flash too, if you don't
know what you are doing.

5 gallons of d-limonene at the link below:

http://chemistrystore.com/dlimonene.htm

Regards,
Alfred Erpel