Smoke coming from transformer means........anyone?

Lolo: Be careful, even if its not plugged in tube equipment can carry a wallop!!! Caps can and will store high voltage. High Voltage!! If you are not familiar with tubes/voltage I would forget about doing it yourself. If someone knows more about exactly what you have they may correct me, but better safe than sorry.

We like you the way you are.

Sincerely, I remain

Yes, a Variac is a needed for vintage gear that has been out of service for awhile and/or recapping a piece. I am in the market for good used one right now. As Clueless mentions the caps can hold high amperage charges for long periods of time and you need to learn how to drain them properly if doing the work yourself. I have been shocked through one hand, on through the chest and out the other hand by equipment that has been powered down for weeks. These were "not" Martha Stewart moments, take care and caution.

The Variac method doesn't work so well if the unit has a tube rectifier. The tube rectifier won't really conduct until the filament voltage gets close to specification. This point will be somewhere around 75-80 volts AC input. At this point you put about 60% of the B+ voltage on the caps. Better than full voltage, though.

Brian- thanks for the laugh!