I have a neon sign transformer that has a burned out primary, and is filled with that damn brown epoxy crap. Any way to get it out w/o murdering the windings?

Not sure of the brown crap, probably varnish

but beware of PCB's{poly chlorine by-phenols}

used as a coolant in older transformers and

as a dielectric in capacitors. Highly carcinogenic, get rid of immediately!!!!

Here's a pic:

http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/e8c2e64a/bc/Electrical+Stuff/NST+epoxy.jpg?bcSLbE_AgsXmrSuA (http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/e8c2e64a/bc/Electrical+Stuff/NST+epoxy.jpg?bcSLbE_AgsXmrSuA)

As you can see it's not a varnish, it's a solid fill of epoxy. This particular transformer is labeled "Poly-Lok".

Any idea how to get it out w/o ruining the windings?

I assume the black stuff in the pic is asphalt coating the actual windings, not sure tho. The primary in this thing is shorted, and by the black seeping out of that crack, i'd say it shorted and overheated. I can probably make a new primary for it if i can get to it...

[This message has been edited by IHateMarsians (edited 07-13-2003).]

Seriously your best bet is to get a new xformer. The only way you will get the epoxy out is by mechanical means.

No solvents work on epoxy? Damn, I was hoping I could at least wind a new core on it or something