[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: Pole pigs -- costs

>From: WILLIAM HENDERSON <hb-at-earthlink-dot-net>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Re: Pole pigs -- costs
>

>> With a pole pig, you need the following items that you don't need for
>> neon based systems: (Your prices may vary)
>> 
>> A pole pig ------------------- $300
$60 only 7200V though.
>> 50A/220V worth of variacs ---- $200
not yet;(
>> Arc welder ------------------- $200 (new)
$15 wire to build inductive ballast - 9mH 
>> Oven elements ---------------- Free (salvaged at recycling center)
$15 each.
>> Wire for power cabinet, etc. - $100
free - scrounged
>> Power cabinet (contactors,
>> circuit breakers, wire,
>> meters, etc, no variacs) ----- $150 (est.)
>> 
>> Rotary gap
>> (materials: G10, Plexiglas,
>> polycarbonate, shaft,
>> bearings, nuts, bolts, motor - $180 (est.)
>> --------------------------------------------
>> Total:                         $1130
So that is where my budget went;)

you also forgot the replacement cost of home electronics due to home
build ballast testing ~$65 so far.
>> 
>> There are probably some items you can do without, but if you have kids,
>> you will want a cabinet to enclose the dangerous/delicate stuff, and
>> with resistive load, the performance is not as great (I hear).
Caveats for resistive ballast: 220V into a 110V tap of a 7200V pig
with ~5ohms resistive ballast. Makes a GREAT light show! I have
achieved complete 360 degree power arcs, they're quite spectacular.

>> 
>> Basically don't expect to plunk $300 down for a pig, take it home and plug
>> it in.
Just for grins, I DID. My poor rotary could not quench it's arc,
before the circuit breaker blew. I as sorry to report that I was not
watching the mains current meter at that time;(
>> 
>> Flames are always "welcome".
>> 
>> Chip, the cheapest way is to build yourself  reactor's, this will get 
>rid of the variac's, arc welder and oven elements- my reactors all have 
>taps coming out for different current settings,this will also get the 
>juices flowing,it's the trade off, thought for bucks,my 18,000 watt t.c. 
>can't tell the diff.
>
>[Reactors?  Could you elaborate?  -- Chip]
>
William,
	I would love to hear the details of you inductive ballast.
I've wound a small (9mH) iron core inductor to ballast my pig with.
Without a resistive  shunt across it, I take out
unhardened-home-electronics from it's flyback effect when the gap
quenches. This is through the (parallel) 23uF capacitance and 2
series) RFI filters I have between it and my house wiring.


	jim