Power Supply For tattoo Machine

[sputnikxxx]

As you can see from the picture that the power goes to the rheostat then the circut is broken by the foot switch and the machine runs when foot switch is pressed. I am no expert but I do have a general knowledge of electrical work. I cant understand when I tried running this set up the rheostat started smoking but when ever I unmounted the mount jack that had the machine running to it from the frame of the power supply it worked. Some how by having it mounted to the frame of the power supply it is causing it to short out

the power supply I used is this one

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=22-504

the rheostat I used is thisone

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=271-265

the mount jacks used are these

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=274-255

[MP]

The power supply is capable of 3 amps. I could not access the link to the rheostat, but Radio Shack does not carry a rheostat capable of more than 500 ma if I recall correctly. As you decrease the resistance to ground in your circuit, you are asking the resistor (rheostat in your case) to carry more current. V/R=Amps.

Hope this explanation is helpful.

MP

[sputnikxxx]

ummm....? in laimens terms pleeze I appreciate your post to try to help I know the parts will work because I have done it before the problem is I cannot remember the exact wiring. if this can help basically the power goes into the rheostat to control the speed of the machine and the foot switch acts a circut breaker and is connected when pushed to make the machine run. but for some reason by mounting both jacks to frame it shorts it out

[MP]

In other terms, some reason is causing the load to be grounded through the rheostat. This could be the polarity of the plug, a mis-wired terminal or something else. It is not possible to go further without seeing the schematic or wirng diagram. Since you have two and one is working, you can examine the working unit to see what is wired differently on the other one.

MP

[steven]

:D if in boubt throw it out, power supply for a tatoo ,machine in the seventies ,it was easyer to biuld a tatoo machine ,that would run off a 12 volts transformer, with these parts, 1 a tape recorder moter. 2 a pen caseing .3 a bycical spoke and needle and cotton and a radiator hose clip and , and a plastic wheel from a tape recorder and 2 lengths of wire and some indian ink. and a strip of metal.