Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. A Variac looks like a sci-fi laboratory prop. For some reason, I ...

The folks at TOG, Dublin Hackerspace, have a large variac. A variac is a useful device for testing some fault conditions with AC mains powered equipment, it allows an operator to dial in any AC output ...

I am trying to verify that a system can run at 50 or 60 Hz and 100 - 240 VAC. Can a Variac be used change both output frequency and voltage or just voltage? The typical solution to your problem would ...

It’s no surprise that many hardware hackers avoid working with AC, and frankly, we can’t blame them. The potential consequences of making a mistake when working with mains voltages are far greater ...

As the voltage is increased, the current increases which results in an increase in temperature of the filament. The increase in temperature affects the range of wavelengths emitted by the light bulb.

When a length of copper or nichrome is heated electrically, it lengthens due to thermal expansion and may start to glow. The wire is suspended between two posts and heated by a variac. A small ...