[Boatanchors] One more point 120 vac Variac

[WA5CAB at cs.com]

GR is neither the only nor the largest producer of variable 
autotransformers.  More industrial systems I have seen are/were equipped with Powerstats, 
not Variacs.  I have four units here.  One is GR, three are not.  The dial 
plates of two read "0-140" and "VOLTS AC".  The other two just read "0-140".

In a message dated 6/14/2011 9:28:00 AM Central Daylight Time, 
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com writes: 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Rob Atkinson" <ranchorobbo at gmail.com>
> To: "Dick KF4NS" <kf4nsradio at verizon.net>
> Cc: <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 6:56 AM
> Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] One more point 120 vac Variac
> 
> 
> >I know I have seen some graded in volts but mostly it is %.
> >
> >My guess is % is used because then a single round 
> >graduation plate can
> >be made for a number of different models and voltages.
> >
> >Rob
> >K5UJ
> 
>     Not according to the General Radio catalogues. The dials 
> are calibrated in _volts_. There are two scales on most, one 
> on each side, for the two ranges. For 115V nominal Variacs 
> the ranges are 0-115 and 0-140V on the overvoltage side. The 
> range depends on the connections made on the terminals. 
> Portable Variacs have a terminal board on one side. The 
> exceptions are stacked arrays which have dials calibrated 
> from 0 to 10, and, of course, 220V units which have 
> appropriate voltage calibration.
>     I looked at several catalogues spanning perhaps a thirty 
> year period and can find NO Variacs with percentage scales, 
> although they may have been made.
> 
> 
> --
> Richard Knoppow
> Los Angeles
> WB6KBL
> dickburk at ix.netcom.com 
> 

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