What Happens When a PT Fries?

[Reeltarded]

No no.. stray kittens. The ones in the dumpster behind Arby's, or Jack in the Box.

[The New Steve H]

The only thing I know for sure is that now I have a great excuse to buy an infrared thermometer.

[Zippy]

I keep having this neurotic fear that I actually grabbed the rectifier tube instead of the PT. I don't think I'm quite that stupid, but I will check tonight.

I may actually be that stupid. Tonight after an hour or more, I could put my fingers on the PT for several seconds.

Working rule: Use the BACK of your fingers/hand to check large components for heat. Not only will you avoid burning the working surfaces of your fingers but if there is a potential, muscle contraction will pull your hand away from the part rather than you latching on to it.

As katopan noted, if you cannot touch it for 1 second, it's too hot. Internal parts will be much hotter than the surface temperature of the case of a trannie - insulation will be taking a beating and heading toward end-of-life.

[tubeswell]

Last time I fried a PT,there was a sound like frying bacon for five or so seconds and strong smell of burning and smoke before the fuse blew. Ideally the fuse should be rated to blow before any of that stuff happens.

[Reeltarded]

OH-ZONE



When it stinks like the air is clean as a doctor's office, you just done a bad thing.

[Zippy]

Last time I fried a PT,there was a sound like frying bacon for five or so seconds and strong smell of burning and smoke before the fuse blew. Ideally the fuse should be rated to blow before any of that stuff happens.

Fuse rating too high: The smoke comes from the insulation going away. After the insulation goes, then the bare windings (in that region) short together and the current goes up briefly until the fuse pops.

Ideally, the fuse will be rated to blow before the transformer gets so hot as to melt/char/burn the insulation. Once the windings are shorted, it's already done.