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Thomson duplex transformer

Marcisaacs

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Aug 17, 2022
Messages
2
Location
New York
Format
35mm
Hello Everyone, Marc here- I fix darkroom equipment and have been looking for a transformer to replace one in a Thomas duplex that seems to be getting too hot. Any thoughts on sources or cooling would be appreciated.
Sincerely
M
 
Welcome!

By the way, you have not got a transformer, but an inductive ballast in these luminaires.
 
There are several things to consider on how that ballast apparatus is designed, which components it contains. In the most basic case you just need a basic ballast for plasma tubes of same voltage and wattage and number of tubes.

However the wording of your request makes me rather advise to have that luminaire inspected/repaired by an electrician.
Such coil getting hot as such is normal. Quite some share of the power of the tube in addion is released as heat in that coil. Installing an electronic power supply instead is an alternative, as it yields some benefits. My own experiences though showed the longevity of such may be two decades, whereas coils run seemingly forever. (The energy saved by such electronic device then must be related to their price/longevity.)
 
By the way, you have not got a transformer, but an inductive ballast in these luminaires.

The lamp you got is of the low-pressure type. These need rather low ignition-voltages. Even down to the mains level. This is why I referred to just a plain ballast. The US mains being half the european voltage may mean that indeed a step up transformer maybe needed.

Maybe someone with more electrical insight can chime in...