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If you're like me, you've been collecting those little "black boxes", power transformers that seem to come with everything from camcorders, telephones, scanners, speaker systems, printers and just about anything else that requires 110v power. Problem is, once you bag all those things up or disconnect them and take more than a 30 minute lunch break you can't remember which one goes to what. I found myself with a dang handful of these things and it took a while to figure out which one went to what. There are never any indication as to what it goes to and all the electrical input and output voltages are different. Personally I think it's a conspiracy so we fry our components and have to buy new ones if we hook up the wrong transformer. My tip is to use a white Stabillo pencil and, as soon as you take it out of the box, write on the transformer what it goes to. Simple and quick.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Tip too late! I murdered my network hub a while back by plugging in the wrong power supply. It never had a chance. The little guy went stiff, shook violently and puffed it's last electron in a wiff of smoke.
Now that i have admitted this in a public forum I should wait patiently for the gadget police to come take me away. I can still here the screams oh it's awful.
-------------------- Bob Rochon Creative Signworks Millbury, MA 508-865-7330
"Life is Like an Echo, what you put out, comes back to you." Posts: 5149 | From: Millbury, Mass. U.S. | Registered: Nov 1998
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. . .I can't wait to get more electrical-moblie gadgets so I can use it! I only have about 3 now . . .two are actually plugged into outlets and appear to be leading to something in use . . . . I know where one is in this drawer over here . . .
wait, no heres two others . . . uh-oh, 1 more....
I have NO idea what all these go to!!!
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
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Sirley, it's funny that Dallas mentioned that, as I was going to come on and ask if it could be done. My plan is to take my existing battery powered cutter, and hardwire it with an appropriate transformer.The problem with it now is that it MUNCHES batteries.
There was a thread a couple months back about building one from scratch, but I can't remember the title. Searches here turn up nifty stuff. If I recall, you need a certain kind of wire, which fits with my limited understanding of electrical things (resistance equals heat).Other appliances use resistance wire, but you need something smaller. I'm pretty sure the battery cutters are inexpensive, like $10, maybe less, and actually made in the U.S.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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Yep, the wire you need is called "Nichrome". I have several hot wire cutters but they are all 110v. Very seldom used but *very* sweet when you need them! You can even use a paper cut-out patern and follow it perfectly.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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I have a pretty good way of telling if you have the right one too. Plug it up, if it does not work or it starts smoking and all your lights go out, you have the wrong one.
Reminds me of a freind I used to have, he had this BIG buzzbox welder, looked like something to weld bridges with, he got a kick out of using it and watching the lights in the neighborhood dim.
In regards to marking things, I have a brother in law that always carries a white paint marker of sorts. I think maybe his current favorite is a correction fluid in a pen sort of deal. Anyway, he's always marking stuff. You can tell where he's been, just look for the writing. Lift the cover for the circuit breaker box, and there's writing next to some of the breakers, telling which room or appliance they go to.
Open the hood of the truck, there's writing telling which dipstick is for the oil, and which is for the trans. On his own equipment he writes where he bought it, when, the capacities of the fluids, and so on.
Pretty cool, but I think it's one of those things that GROWS on you, so watch out Ricky, I know where this leads to.
-------------------- James Donahue Donahue Sign Arts 1851 E. Union Valley Rd. Seymour TN. (865) 577-3365 brushman@nxs.net
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what's for lunch, Benjamin Franklin Posts: 2057 | From: 1033 W. Union Valley Rd. | Registered: Feb 2003
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James, I and others have used very low current cheap mains power to 12 volt dc auto battery chargers. Connect one to some ( a metre or two of) taught nichrome wire supported in a holder of some kind.
(I'm not responsible if you try this and burn something down or hurt yourself, but at 12 volts and not much current, the safety factor is manageable, & overload switches & ELCB's in the workshop are essential)
(*******edit to add- you have to have the nichrome wire & battery charger terminals well insulated from the frame which supports it, or the current will short circuit through the frame and you'll be in trouble. I used a timber frame with no problems.Steel can be used with appropriate insulation of parts, but beware... and don't forget to turn it off when you stop!)
[ March 26, 2005, 07:51 AM: Message edited by: Ian Stewart-Koster ]
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7017 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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I use them for lighting LED's for display in the shop. So far none have caused anything to smoke!!
-------------------- Glenn Thompson Tell-Tale Signs Williams Lake, BC sign@telus.net (250)398-7446 Posts: 201 | From: Williams Lake, BC | Registered: Dec 2000
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