Transformer Repair
Transformer repair is not a simple task! What we aim for is
to get back as close to original as possible to retain the signature of the
original equipment, and therefore the original value of the equipment is
retained. This is especially true for audio transformers, and those from
vintage audio amplifiers such as the famous Dynaco, Quad, McIntosh and etc
manufacturers.
You do not want to replace the original transformers unless
you can find match pairs from the original manufacturer from the original
batch. Now you know that there are slim chances that you can do so. I believe
you know that the design and quality will change from time to time even from
the original equipment manufacturer. So, getting one to replace the spoilt one
might not do since getting that single piece that matches to what you have is
even harder!
A lot of people think that repairing / restoring transformer
is no big deal. We beg to differ. Every step is crucial and there is no error
accepted or else the transformer will not be as original as possible. The most
troublesome task is to repair sealed with compound & potted transformer.
This really gives us a lot of headache and this is where some people will cut
corners! We do not!
From dismantling, reversing engineering, dismantle the
winding, dismantle the core, washing every piece of the core laminations for
restacking (boy, this is painful!) rewinding, reconnecting, refilling the
potting compound (Finding the same compound is not easy too!), wait for potting
compound to cool down, testing, measure and etc. There are very complicated
steps and hope you all can understand where the cost comes from on transformer
repair. It is NOT expensive! For getting back to the past glory, this is all
worth it.
Repair process takes about 1 to 2 weeks, depending on how
serious it is damaged. All the above mentioned processes consume a lot of time.
It is a very taxing job. In addition to restoring the original electrical
properties, we aim to restore the outlook to what it looks like before it is
damaged. This will save the user a lot of money to send it to original factory
for repair or order original transformers from the factory, that is, if the
factory is still around. What if, if it is not around anymore? Go figure!
Another troublesome about repairing transformer is to
receive transformers without proper specifications. There is no written input /
output voltages and current ratings. In order to repair such transformers, we
need to count the winding ratios and measure the wire gauges to determine /
reverse engineer to find out the original intended voltage / current!
If you’ve a burnt inductor in your speaker crossover, don’t
worry, we can repair it. Just send us the original inductor and we shall
reproduce one with the exact specifications. Inductor is much easier to
repair/recoil compared to transformers.
Our repair works are all manually done to mimic the original
design as much as possible. So, do not worry! Also, not all machine wound
transformers are better than hand wound types. We’ve seen those poorly mass
produced machine made transformers. Our hand-repaired transformers are wound to
perfection. If you do not believe, you can get one of our transformers and
reverse engineer it. You will see what we mean – of course, such action would
void the warranty!
With the ever increasing copper and iron price, if you’ve
any projects that need transformers or any defective transformers that need to
be repaired, please do it quick for cheaper cost.
If you see this sign below (black color on your coil/core),
this means that very high chances the transformer has burnt and needs to be
repaired.
 |
| Burnt Winding |
Burnt high voltage windings – if the windings are not properly aligned, this will easily create heat spots or weakness in insulation and cause shorts or burns – damaged transformer. You can’t see all these from the outside. Therefore, choosing a trusted transformer winder is crucial to your projects that are full with sweat and blood – hard work and cold hard cash!
 |
| Burnt HV winding |
Why do people cut cost on all these areas – only a couple of
reasons – highest chance is for cost cutting or wound inexperienced winders,
maybe even lazy winders! We look into the finer details to ensure all these are
considered when winding your transformers. If you do not know them personally,
or recommended by truly experienced electricians, do not use them to avoid be
conned and wasting your time and money. Don’t risk having your original core
being replaced with low quality cores! The differences are huge!
From the various repair cases, we learn from the mistakes
other people make and avoid + improve it in the future! We will analyze why it
failed (usually the weakest link of all) and will aim to strengthen that part
to ensure it never fails the same way again.
Quality is assured for your peace of mind! We use the old
school proven and tested method of winding transformers and therefore they are
built to last long and exceed expectations! Do not settle for 2nd
best, go for the best! This method is rarely used now, except from the very
best manufacturers of high end transformers or equipment. It is very time
consuming and costly way of making transformers. That’s the spirit of high end!
When we dismantle the cores for repair, we pay a lot of
attention on the process. Usually the laminations are glued shut by varnish. We
need to carefully separate them apart. If we’re being careless, once the
laminations are dented, it will not be useful anymore. No mistakes are
tolerated here. If there is no varnish
on the core, then it really depends on luck to see whether the cores are
oxidized. If they are oxidized, it is no longer usable.
Remember: only high quality transformers can last longer,
have higher efficiency and won’t waste your hard earned money! Save the mother
earth!
Transformer repair is not just taking a bunch of measured
data and use that as the data to wind the transformer. That loses the
originality tone and will deviate far away from the intended tonality. This is
especially important for output transformers.
Transformers made in the golden era of HIFI are very
complicated. We really need to reverse engineer by dismantling them layer by
layer, line by line to monitor and analyze how it is made to restore to the
original state or else the end results will definitely be different.
For transformer repairs, please contact us and provide
detail pictures of your faulty transformers to facilitate repair price
estimation.
J&K Audio Design
20/12/2013
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* Finished
amplifiers, DACs, audio gadgets, upgrades and repairs - this is not our
core business and we do it out of passion. We do not
have fixed models, fixed price and we customize for each individuals.
The sky is limit of creativity.
* Our product lines are always improving and increasing. If you do not see what you want, contact us!
* Please email for volume discounts, distributor and OEM pricing.
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