Any NSM Festival owners? Main transformer heat/burn evidence

May be a general question, not specific to NSM maybe, opened up the bottom and noticed black "powder" above the main transformer on the back board. Most wiped off, no visual signs that the transformer burned, maybe heat related? Had found a light layer of this black coating having made its way up in the main area and stained some areas of plastic etc, again a lot of it wiped off.

Makes me think the transformer fried, but transformer itself seems to look clean. I have yet to plug this juke into wall outlet and power it on, maybe as I figure I'd wait til I get the carriage installed before doing a full power up. Now thinking I should plug it in to see if any power to other things like lights.

Just wasn't sure if maybe this is common, to get heat related black dust from a main transformer like this.

Tim

Tim, I'm not familiar w/older NSM but it is NOT normal for there to a soot above a tran in any case. In higher power cases this can occur over many years, but not in a jukebox.

Some other tell-tale signs are evidence of dripping below the tran and/or a acrid odor.

Before plugging in check the line fuse and with nothing else plugged into the unit it is a good idea to try placing a standard light bulb of 60w or more in series to limit current in the case of a short (saves fuses too).

Rob/NYC

Thank you. Going to first remove the bolts from it to do more visual inspection. It seems to be mounted on some sort of asbestos pad/heat sink. If it weren't for seeing this soot layer on things, everything else looks completely fine. Transformer is definitely where it seems to have come from.

Tim

Forgot to mention, nothing having dripped/leaked below the transformer, all clean there and no smell to indicate anything. Could have been overpowered or simply overheating during its lifetime?

Still going to have a closer look at it.


Tim

Hi Tim,

I have to agree with Rob that caution is the better route and the lamp as a limiter is a good idea. I would only leave the lighing ciruits connected and disconnect the amplifiers and controllers etc.

Does the jukebox have a 110/220 volt step up transformer or was the jukebox an export model?

Regards
Alan

Alan Hood
ami-man
UK

I believe it would be an export model, and the transformer was meant for the 110-120VAC here. It's not common for a transformer to fail, at least it is not usual for them to. I'll unhook everything minus the fluorescent and see how it goes and test voltages.

Tim