Transformer information

Have a dry type transformer 600 volt ac to 120 volt ac va rating 250.I hooked the high side to 120 volt ac and out put on low side is 40 volts it does not have any taps at all will this transformer produce enough amperage to power a home made carbon rod soldering tool would love any information am not a qualified electrician.THANKS

Lets say that your transformer could provide the full 250va into 250watts. Then you would have the power of a 250w soldering iron available for the carbon. A 250w soldering iron is a pretty big one, but I dont know about your specific application.

250 Va transformer is a current limited device. 600:120 = 120:24 You say you got 40 volts out backfeeding the transformer. Regardless you're limited to the same current in and out. 250 VA / 120/600 = roughtly 2 Amps output. You can over load the transformer and get about doulbe the amps for a minute or so but I think you need more current than that for carbon rod soldering.

I suggest you get a 250 VA buck/boost transformer rated 120/240 in and 12/24 out. This is a standard rating. Parallel the output and you get about 20 amps at 12 Volts. This should do for carbon rod soldering on small work. An SCR fan control or Variac on the transformer's input will adjust the output voltage voltage to refine your home-brew soldering outfit's response to differing conditions.