Manual battery charger smoking....

[branimal]

I have an old manual battery charger I use for electrolysis (rust removal). Smoke is coming from the windings??? (not sure what the exact term for that part is) when I turn it on. (The leads are not connected to the anode or cathode and it smokes).

Any ideas on how I can repair this?

Arrow shows the location of the smoke.

 

[dogdog]

if the smoke is from the transformer... it means the winding have been over load / melted / shorted Either the secondary or primary ... most likely secondary. Repair it would have cost a lot more than it is worth if it is the transformer problem. usually there is a safety auto-reset fuse on the NEG lead to brake contact when it is over loaded... not too sure your model.

disclaimer and venture at your own risk thing.

search for that schuer BH-12 schematic should be a very simple diagram...

you can check if there is any shorts of wiring to the chassis ground anywhere around that...
test the output of just the transformer and see if the low voltage (secondary of transformer ) is still good...
check if the transformer is over heating when the secondary output is not connected ?

a 20Amp 12V power supply off amazon would have been cheaper... than trying to repair if the problem is with the transformer.

delamination of the transformer core is also a thing that would have cause eddy current at the transformer core to heat up. but that usually would have advance warning like transformer hums

 

[nadogail]

The secret ingredient in all Electrical Equipment is SMOKE, it is sealed into the equipment at the factory; once the Smoke is allowed to leak out the equipment is no longer good.

 

[dave*99]

I know of only one manufacturer that sells replacement smoke.
I don't know if it works on other brands of products.