Anybody know anything about these cheap Variacs?

[Speakerguy]

**broken link removed**

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with these before I buy one. Thanks!

 

[dknguyen]

No experience, but if I had to buy one that's the one I wouls buy.

 

[kchriste]

Looks similar to this supplier:
TDGC TSGC Voltage Regulator TDGC Voltage regulator CN;ZHE products
Gotta love the Chinglish.

 

[jmaf]

**broken link removed**

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with these before I buy one. Thanks!

I recently bought a similar variac, china proceed as well, mine went for under $ 90 so it's even cheaper than that one. Works a dandy for my application(tube amp testing/repair). I watch the commuter as I turn it and I see no sparks or anything, so I'm pretty happy with the cost/benefit.

My particular model is 1 kVA 220V.

A wild guess about the 2000 VA rating: the 20A current is probably peak measurement right before meltdown(seems like tradition in china's lower end products, amplifiers, etc), do plan on using it for at most 500w/5Amp appliances continuously.

 

[mneary]

Also, 110 volts might actually be its input rating. So you're starting out with a 9% overvoltage right away.

And it doesn't look like anything in the Variac(r) catalog, so don't count on warranty support. All of the real Variac(r) products that I find in the catalog in this class are 120V input.

 

[KMoffett]

Yeah, we purchased several of that exact one from MPJA for one of our Physics labs. They will trip a 30A breaker, loaded or no load, when you switch them on. I finally talked with an engineer from VARIAC (the real VARIAC). He said that because of the large wire size on the core and low inductance you will get a whopping big inrush current at turn-on. We really didn't need 2KVA. Sent them all back.

Ken