Any recommendations for HT transformer suppliers?

[Jez1234]

A few attempts at searching the site have proved fruitless so far.... I'm probably searching wrong somehow but I get every thread with "transformer" or "HT" or "valve" etc!

I just bought a lovely US Mil valved GDO/Modulated oscillator/wave-meter type AN/PRM-10 on ebay which whilst thankfully seems to be all present and correct in terms of the truly unobtainium and/or unrepairable bits but unfortunately a previous owner in UK has converted it to UK 240V mains by fitting a 0-250V HT secondary replacement mains TX and a selenium bridge rectifier and junked the 6X4 rectifier (at least the socket and wiring is still all there!) which of course needed a 250 -0- 250V secondary.

I've put a "wanted" ad in the relevant section of the site so hopefully something will turn up but I would have thought that with all the renewed interest in audiophool valve amps etc etc that a 250-0-250V @ 15 to 30mA plus 2 x 6.3V @ 1A mains transformer for use in valve preamps and phono stages would be fairly easily available.... It seems not!

There are companies who will custom manufacture transformers to any spec of course and indeed I've had mains TX's for high end valve amps made a few times in the course of the day job.... but at a hell of a price!

The few I did see on WWW were for specific vintage amps both hifi and guitar but the prices were a complete joke! Or are 100VA mains transformers really £185 etc etc these days?

Anyone know of any suppliers of reasonably priced HT transformers, even if Chinese so long as they "do what it says on the tin"? You know, for when you get the urge to try out that "3 valve regen" in a 1950's Practical Wireless or when you get a small table radio or item of test gear in which you bought "sold as seen" for £20 and find the mains TX is open circuit etc etc

[Chris55000]

Look on "AliExpress" for "Tube Amp R Core Transformer – the Chinese do make a lot of R Core small h.t. transformers with h.t. secondary windings from 150 V single to about 350–0–350V with one, two or three 6.3 V windings, and they're not quite the silly prices they are in this country and Europe!

Chris Williams

[Jez1234]

Originally Posted by Chris55000

Look on "AliExpress" for "Tube Amp R Core Transformer – the Chinese do make a lot of R Core small h.t. transformers with h.t. secondary windings from 150 V single to about 350–0–350V with one, two or three 6.3 V windings, and they're not quite the silly prices they are in this country and Europe!

Chris Williams

Great tip Chris! That looks promising

[russell_w_b]

We used to use a firm called Daren Electronics located in Diss, Norfolk, to make transformers for the Marconi B6126 HF transmitter valve ignitron protection units. I believe Daren took over Reflex Power Limited.

The last time we ordered was 2008, though, and back then a toroidal transformer with 230V primary and secondaries of 1300V @ 100mA; 155V @ 1A and 12.3V @ 1.5A cost around £68.

Daren Electronics: 01379 644233

[GrimJosef]

Primary Windings list 250-0-250@100mA and 6.3V@2A for £32.41 inc VAT (clamp mount) https://primarywindings.com/product/pwht07/.

Techno Transformers recently wound a custom choke for me and were quick and relatively inexpensive.

If it matters to you (it's important for audio applications, obviously) you might ask prospective suppliers about electromechanical hum/buzz from the transformer itself. It does seem to vary quite a lot from unit to unit.

Cheers,

GJ

[Station X]

I've also used that company:-

https://primarywindings.com/

https://primarywindings.com/product/pwht02/

https://primarywindings.com/wp-conte.../03/PWHT02.svg

[AdrianH]

I have used Primary windings at one time, but wen they get busy I found my emails unanswered. One I have been using recent!y is Demeter Windings, I typically get fully cased with wires in/out and find them reasonable for costs, but yes things can seem expensive at times.
http://www.demeterwindings.co.uk/ have a look if any good to you.

Adrian

[Jez1234]

Must be some sort of combination of getting old, inflation and "audiophool tax" going on but it seems TX's I would have expected to be around £25 (and that's after allowing for inflation!) are more like £50+ once VAT and delivery have been added. For a 35 - 60VA EI transformer?? They're having a laugh!

Yeah yeah supply and demand, the onward march of SMPS in anything mass produced, the Chinese have cornered all the world's copper etc etc

A Curmudgeon

[ian_rodger]

This site is worth a look - https://www.die-wuestens.de/eindex.htm

[Sideband]

Originally Posted by ian_rodger

This site is worth a look - https://www.die-wuestens.de/eindex.htm

Dealt with them many times. They have a good selection of bolt-down capacitors, a range of standard components and some more unusual things.

[Aub]

For toroids, I've used airlink transformers.

Aub