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Re: Unpotting my Neon (cont.)
From: Adam[SMTP:absmith-at-tiac-dot-net]
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 1997 11:11 PM
To: Tesla List
Subject: Re: FW: Unpotting my Neon (cont.)
> Adam, I am new here, could you explain what you mean by "mini pig",
>it sounds like something I may want to build.
OK, here it goes...
After cleaning, repairing and re-assembling unpotted neon sign
transformers, you have to repot them in some kind of insulator (Paraffin
or oil) to restore their insulation. If you run a NST unpotted, it will
arc from the outside of the secondary to the core, frying some windings
and maybe starting a fire. Before repotting, I replaced all the
transformer's mica and cardboard insulating strips with 90mil LDPE. Much
nicer looking, and less messy.
I put the transformer I worked on today into a shiny new standard paint
can, purchased at Home Depot. I hot-glued the transformer to the bottom
of the can, and filled the can with Exxon Univolt N61 transformer oil, as
is used in pole transformers. I moved all the high and low voltage
bushings from the old tranformer case to the lid of the paint can, and
grounded the transformer core to the can itself & the lid. I removed the
paint can's wire handle. Now, what I have looks A LOT like a pole pig
(the distribution transformers you see on telephone poles) except that it
is smaller, hence "mini pig". It even hums like a pole pig.
Electrically, it performs a bit better than original transformer (two
laminate layers removed from each shunt), and now it is more easily
repairable. I'll put a picture up on my website, as soon as I can borrow
a digital camera.
-Adam
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Adam Smith
absmith-at-tiac-dot-net
Epoch, Inc. Digital Music Project
www.tiac-dot-net/users/absmith/ Now with MP3! Musik. Macht. Macintosh.
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