Buzz buzz remover?

What do the the local electronic diyers think is the best glue to use to stop a loud buzzing transformer in a piece of equipment. Its not actually mounted its just sandwiched between plastic bits of the case, which of course means when it vibrated the case does too. I think the bobin and other bits of it were all glued up in the first place with some kind of varnish substance, but its now rattling quite loudly but there is nothing else wrong with the item so wanted to sort it. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff
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Epoxy resin? Most epoxy resin is non conductive and inert and sticks loke crazy.

Reply to
Bod

I just flooded the transformer in my shaver socket (whose humming was keeping me awake) with superglue. Worked a treat.

Reply to
Huge

That's handy to know.

Reply to
Bod

Anything which is solvent based, thin when applied and then hardens - so varnish/lacquer thin adhesive. Plug the transformer in during or immediately after application so the liquid can get vibrated in to the crevices. You may need several applications. A blob of silicon sealant between the transformer and case may also help - put some wax polish on the case inside first so the sealant doesn't make it difficult to dismantle later. Resting the cased unit on a felt pad (if practicable) also often helps.

Reply to
Peter Parry

In message , Brian Gaff writes

Brian, this is a question close to the heart of anyone who operates old toy trains, using transformer controllers manufactured pre or early post war. Some of them have an almost deafening buzz.

Accepted wisdom is to dismantle then reassemble using epoxy glue, and clamp for forty eight hours, which seems to reduce loud buzzing to a barely discernable hum. I confess, though, I have not been brave enough to try it myself.

Reply to
News

I remember the buzzing from my toy train transformers in the early 1960s. Not that I worried, because they'd replaced even noisier rotary converters (for our 240v DC mains, replaced just before).

Reply to
Bob Eager

Couple of drops of araldite probably - that stuff sets solid but slightly flexible and its pouring consistency is such that you could run a drop or two in without it flooding the case.

Reply to
Tim Watts

Some of the big American jobbies are impressive, almost taking on a life of their own, like something from Dr Who :-)

Running them here on 50 instead of 60Hz probably doesn't help.

Reply to
News

dipping in hot (candle) wax is one traditional method.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

They are annoying are they not. strangely since writing this, I've discovered several other devices with the same issue coming up gradually. an Edis sub woofer transformer A Sound mixer at the local talking newspaper, and a Marantz CD player. In the latter two cases the mains switch stops the buzz when the device is off, but the others appear to leave the internal transformer live when the switch is off, which merely changes the nature of the buzz. I never did understand the trend to put on off switches on the low voltage side of a device.

Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Depending on the superglue used as it heats off, it can according to some self styled experts, give off cyanide gas, but I'd doubt this is in enough quantitity in free air to cause much of a problem. I was thinking about heat glue, but I suppose that might soften as it warms up. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Yes when I was young I had an Airfix road racing system that had a transformer like that. I only put some foam in, but in those days things were at least made to be disassembled so you could do a good job, but nowadays the transformers are shall we say, built to a price. This is why I was looking for a fix that did not involve major surgery. As I have said later in this thread, I seem now to be tuned to this and almost everything is buzzing.

I also remember the very early Sinclair spectrum supplies used to buzz after a while. Bits of sponge used to fix those as they obviously did not make the plastic accurately enough to clamp the large metal object. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

One of the first projects I did when I could see was a nice clean speed adjuster for trains.Sadly it was not very useful due, I imagine to the fact that smooth regulated power is not that effective at low speeds, a nice rough dc through a bloody great pot worked better, presumably due to the peaks helping to jog the motor better than my regulated supply. Both got the controller equally hot as in one case it was a bank of OC35s and in the other a wire wound pot. grin. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Erm, yes well, but this might run when the item gets hot.

I was told that this problem only happens as nobody designs transformers properly these days, and most saturate the cores which tends to not be very efficient as it then heats up. A properly designed on will be only generating a sine wave, not a flat topped mess. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Decent equipment uses toroidal. Never known one of those buzz.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Lucky you..

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Well mainly cos most of those tend to be almost completely potted. I remember the smell very well before elf and safety made it a health risk where I worked. Remember back in the day Partridge Transformers were made less than 200 feet away from where I'm sitting now. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Isn't this sometimes due to the plates of the transformer itself, rather than the mounting arrangements?

I ask because I've a couple of bits of hifi kit I'd like to sort out, and a quick inspection suggested it was mounted sensibly, and it was the transformer.

I never did

Cost, plus the 'need' to be always on standby?

Reply to
RJH

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