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Microwave Oven Transformers 7/19/2010 Microwave oven transformers, as their name suggests are found in microwaves. They supply 2kV to the magnetron, a special type of diode that produces microwaves. MOT's can supply a huge amount of raw high voltage power. More than enough to kill you 10x over. They are not suitable alone for jacob's ladders, or much anything else for that matter. However they are still fun to play with. I had an interesting experience with MOT's when I was in 6th grade. I made a video of me burning an apple with one, and showed it to my favorite teachers at school. The day after I was called to the principal's office and met a cop and my father there. The school had freaked out and I'm still not sure why the cop was there, though It may have been something with child endangerment. I ended up explaining how a transformer works and how it was impossible for 2kV to jump a foot to get me, and I don't remember what happened after that. MOT's need a ballast, otherwise they draw enough current to trip a 20A breaker. However their arcs are much more impressive without one. Typical ballasts include salt water resistors, 500W light bulbs, inductors, another MOT, and my favorite; a 100' extension cord. Below I have a video below of an unballasted MOT. The transformer ended up tripping the breaker at the end.