Eiki st/m transformer problem ?

[Jason Moffatt]

I was using my eiki elf st/m 2 and after running it for about 30mins there was an odd smell and then the lamp went out. The lamp looked nearly new so tested that and it was fine. Also noticed it was a 250w lamp, these early elfs should use 200w lamps but have read that they should be ok with the 250w ones on the low setting. So i think it may be the transformer that is the problem, is there any way to test it so i know it is that which needs to be replaced. Also could it be anything else that has failed?.

[Steve Klare]

Hi Jason,

First please unplug the machine! Stay safe! (We NEED you here!)

Something you can safely try is to buzz the circuit out with an ohmmeter. If you take the lamp out, the resistance back through the two terminals should be very low with the lamp switch "on" and very high with the illumination switch "off" and the level switch in either position (provided there is nothing but these switches controlling the lamp.).

This is just a loop the lamp current flows around including the lamp, the switches and the transformer. You can follow it with the ohmmeter and measure the resistance between points that should be connected

Wherever the resistance within the loop goes high, the loop is broken and there your problem will be.

Could be the switch (either switch), could be the socket, could be wiring, could be a transformer winding. May be something else I haven't guessed even existed!

If you really suspect the transformer is the issue, remove the lamp and find where the lamp circuit plugs into the transformer and measure Ohms there. To an ohmmeter a transformer winding is pretty close to being a short circuit. You need to remove the lamp (or turn off the switch) so the low resistance of the lamp doesn't hide the high resistance of the damaged transformer.