Variac Build - Panel Meter

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GussyLoveridge

Well-known member
GDIY Supporter
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Messages
117
Location
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada
Hello friends,

I have been digging through some old threads but haven't been able to find the answers to my questions. Please forgive me if you've already answered this, but somehow I've missed it.

I'm building a variac for my test bench and have everything to complete the build save for a panel meter. I'm having trouble finding one that will work for what I want. Perhaps I'm just not thinking it through clearly.  It seems like anything that will be powered from the mains won't begin working until it sees about 80 VAC and other models  require some other voltage to operate.  Is there some other option that I'm missing? Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Best,

Gus.
Cape Breton, NS
Canada
 
I'm not understanding the question.  I have a DIY variac with AC voltage and current meters, and they were off-the-shelf many years ago...perhaps harder to find now.

Please elaborate....

Bri

 
I did not look at that meters specs but assume it needs either an ac mains supply or some other low voltage ac or dc. Mains feeds the variac and the meter/ meter power supply. Get that before the variac, meter the output of the variac.
Ive only had analog meters on variacs, dont know how well that ammeter/ ct will work.

Consider fuses and ground/ground lift and a mains isolation transformer
 
My hunch is that the AC mains powers the meter, and perhaps below 80 VAC the internal power supply poops out.

Like Shabtek, my DIY variac also uses two analog "wiggle needle" meters.

I think you need to keep looking around for different meter(s).

Bri

 
Brian Roth said:
My hunch is that the AC mains powers the meter, and perhaps below 80 VAC the internal power supply poops out.

Like Shabtek, my DIY variac also uses two analog "wiggle needle" meters.

I think you need to keep looking around for different meter(s).

Bri

I assume that the meters don't need any external power - if they are analog. In Germany I probably wouldn't attempt to diy such a device because they seem to pop up on ebay for very reasonable money. I bought one a long time ago with analog current and voltage meters which start from zero.

Michael
 

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