Just to be safe, you might want to check the outlet into which you have 
connected this variac.  If the hot and neutral are reversed, of if the neutral 
and ground are not bonded in the distribution panel you might see problems like 
this!  I have a similar inexpensive variac that I use on my home-brew hot-wire 
cutter.  I haven't poked around with volt meter, but I haven't been bitten 
either/yet!
Ken - ke4rg

-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of John 
Cooper
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2015 12:33 AM
To: tesla reflector; Elecraft reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] variac question

I have a 2000VA chinese variac off ebay looks similar to a staco(.  No 
schematic.  It works fine when used normally.  Varies my voltage from 0-148V.  
But when its switched off and left plugged in I have 0 V between and neutral 
and 120V between hot and ground and neutral and ground.  Is this normal for a 
variac?

I was hooking up a electromagnet @5V with the variac off but plugged in and I 
got a 120V bite even when the dial is all the way to 0.  That s why I started 
checking it. Ive been running my coil off it with no problems.


John Cooper WT5Y
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