Need some help figuring out how this transformer should be wired up. Based on my knowledge of transformers, I would think it would have just four wires, two for each winding, but this one has five. Now, B and C were both hooked up to one lead going to the switch and D was hooked to the other end of the low voltage circuit.
Initially, I put line voltage to A and E and got nothing, no buzz, no fire, no sparks, no nothing. There is continuity between A and B, and C and D only.
If anyone has any insight on this, I’d sure appreciate it. The transformer shows no signs of damage or excessive heat, so I’m hoping it can still be made to work.
@Junkologist I know this is a very old post but I was running a B33 that my brother picked up from
@txlabman and it died this morning. While looking at the one that I already have it seems someone worked on its transformer and I think some of the windings are gone, though hard to tell really as I was looking at it from the top of the cylinder facade. But I can 100% see the windings are loose at the top of the transformer! Likely why I always thought it ran a bit slow / under powered.
Anyways, yours is slightly different from the one that died on me today. This one has two leads off the top of the transformer, the far left is input AC - then the top right went to the engine. Then at the bottom there were three leads, the left two went to the other input AC and switch. The right went to the engine. Interestingly the middle lead actually was two leads from the transformer twisted together all the way into the winding.
Now I am trying to source a powerful enough transformer that will fit into the cylinder facade and not burn up. I first tried a "doorbell" transformer that have 24v AC. It ran slow, then died too - which I assumed it would. I was surprised it ran at all on the little doorbell transformer! Next up is a AC/AC 24v @2A wall adapter, a 2-pack I ordered off Amazon (brand Jameco Electronics). Before this I ran the engine straight off my Mophorn AC Auto Transformer and it ran like a banshee at 24v AC but it can supply a ton of amps too. This may run for a bit and die too but I am hoping the windings hold up being rated at 2 amps.
Anyways, I came here to the forums to see if anyone replaced a Empire's B-33 transformer and figured I'd reply to your thread... it seemed so lonely ;-)
Thanks for the info, Rich!
I ended up putting a doorbell transformer in mine and it has been working fine.
That's interesting, mine ran for about 5 or so minutes then died! And it ran no where as fast as before (or as on the variable AC supply set at 24v) when on the doorbell transformer. Though I bet not all doorbell transformers are the same.
I have high hopes for the 24v/50av (~2 amps / 50 watts) wall adapter.
The 24v/50VA wall adapter seems to be the ticket, though I had to brake the transformer out of its "wall wart cover". Which I expected I would need to do when I bought it, for the record this type is really easy to break apart. Which is a JAMECO RELIAPRO, Model MGT2450P. The 24VAC goes to a little circuit board for a LED power light, which I left on. I need a bit better way to mount the transformer, I used some hanger straps and screwed them down to the base. Then I used some tie wraps to keep the transformer on the straps. Finally, I wrapped the transformer with ample electrical tape.
When I power it on and the paddles are in the middle of the coils, it kicks right off and gets up to speed pretty fast. Then it runs like a banshee. After I let it run for about 5 minutes the transformer coil area got into the upper 90°s and the metal core just at 100°.
Once I think about making a mounting bracket a bit, I'll put the other transformer in my other complete (but "worked on" transformer) B-33.
I thought I take photos of the other wall wart after I broke it open and the transformer out. I just used a flat head screw driver and a mallet to break the glue. The original transformer is rather tall and is 3lbs 4oz and the one from the wall wart is much shorter @ 2lbs 6oz. Comparing the windings, the wall wart the copper is higher gauge wirer (larger). This is good as the transformer should hold up well to the coils charging/discharging.
Now to come up with some brackets for better mounting to the B-33's base. Hanger strap material is a bit to pliable, so something a bit stiffer but still where I could bend/form it around the transformer's metal core and have it rise up to have two feet attached. Perhaps I could walk around Lowes and find something.
The B-33 I have had for a while now was worked on, this can easily be seen when looking at the bottom of the engine (last phot). There is a mess of different color wires and shrink tube. It's like the previous owner used anything he had lying around! Then when I looked a bit closer inside the tank the other day, I could tell the transformer had been undone a bit. I'll be replacing all that mess of random wire/shrink tube for the 24v lines with new black single copper core 22 AWG wire when I tackle the its transformer.
I got started on my original B-33, so now I am committed to making a more better brace for the new transformer. I am much happier about the wiring now. I am keeping the blue power switch wiring, its okay though not thrilled about it being blue.
The 3rd photo is the transformer I took out. It's wiring has been exposed and the line that has white shrink tube wasn't connected (on the other engine was tied to go to the power).
I fell back to hanger straps... I was in the garage and the installer used that stuff for my garage door motor and its been up there for over 20 years. I figured it would work on this little transformer holding it down. I wrapped it around the metal core of the transformer, slipped in the original screws (needed to drill the holes a bit to line up with the base), and then pitched it together at the bottom with a new screw/nut keeping it tight.
With the savings of buying random metal parts to make another type of brace I am going to get a new power cord that has a outer cloth covering. I found this place online that has a great selection:
8' Flat 2-Wire Cloth Covered Cord with Plug Attached - Snake Head Vintagehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7SJ_L4oSUw
Yet another video...
It seemed my B-33 was running slower once I had it together but then at other times it was running a bit faster. I keep scratching my head wondering what was up. So I decided to remove the magnetic coil cover (cylinder facade) and instantly saw the pin keeping the shaft connected to the paddles had come loose. This pin was dragging/scrapping the inside of the cylinder facade slowing the engine down!
https://youtu.be/SoghrK5ZaQoMy new cloth AC cords are on their way, they'll likely should show up early next week :-)
Great fix, Rich!
Do you have a link for those transformers you bout off Amazon?
I sure do, remember this is a "two pack". They are 11% off ATM or showing as such for me logged in with my Prime account.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09SR2PZQH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1Thanks for the props! When I get the cloth cord in, I think I'll do another video with the cylinder facade off to show that paddle and its linkage that I had a problem with. Though now I wished I had bought the houndstooth cord and not the straight black LOL
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