Isolation Transformers


I bought an isolation transformer from a fellow selling his home audio gear about a year or so ago. It’s a 12” cube that weighs roughly 60 lbs and has 8 plugs in the back. It was apparently used in a hospital. 
I have most of my gear including a tube preamp plugged into it mostly for protection purposes. It puts out a constant 124v which is a few more than what I get directly from the wall socket.
Anyone else using this sort of device as a “power conditioner” and what are the pros and cons of using one? I’m guessing delivering a constant voltage (almost) regardless of the load is the main advantage of this type of device but am wondering if it impedes full current delivery at high amplifier loads. Thanks. 
kalali

Showing 1 response by millercarbon

As others have said, isolation transformers don't regulate, and they don't even really isolate, except in the sense of from DC. It helps to understand how they work in the first place. That alone will answer a lot of questions. Do a search.

Sounds like the one you're using is pretty close to 1:1. Getting a few volts more out than in tells you the windings aren't equal, its not a perfect 1:1 but again, read up and learn how they work.

The one I use is audiophile grade 2:1 step down, the supposed advantage being you can run 240v to the transformer and get 120v out the other end. Which is what I do, and it is better than the exact same wire and connections that were running 120v before.

Of course if you listen to half the guys around here I am long since dead and buried, along with the half the neighborhood I burned down, voiding warranties, experimenting with lethal blah blah blah yada yada.

As if any of this matters. Because it don't. What matters, the only pro's and con's as you put it, is what you heard. If you didn't hear any improvement then sorry, waste of money. If you did, well then you can tell by how much it was worth it. Them's the pro's. All the rest is a con.