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Re: PFC for Neons
At 04:25 AM 7/17/96 +0000, you wrote:
>>From MALCOLM-at-directorate.wnp.ac.nzTue Jul 16 21:54:04 1996
>Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 08:58:35 +1200
>From: Malcolm Watts <MALCOLM-at-directorate.wnp.ac.nz>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Re: PFC for Neons
>
>John wrote...
>
><snip>
>> Note that power factor correction is normally used to reduce your electric
>> power bill. (******)
>
>> This has little value with Tesla coils because they are not
>> operated for very long.
>> I do not believe that paying more for a HPF neon or adding a capacitor is
>> worth it.
>> Also adding a capacitor in parallel with the primary neon winding can lead
>> to resonance problems as indicated by some of the Tesla List letters.
>
>> Power factor is not efficiency. The efficiency of typical neons is
>> about 96% for both low and high power factor. A higher power
>> factor means less current from the utility but the current saved
>> is reactive current which does not affect the meter. (******)
>
>Do I detect a contradiction here? Further, PFC certainly does mean
>efficiency if you are a power supplier (better copper utilization,
>less distribution system heating, and ultimately fewer generators
>online). It is also less taxing on fuses, switches and wiring in your
>house. We have terrible problems here at the polytechnic because of
>the abysmal power factor of the banks of computer power supplies.
>The sine wave mains in our establishment is actually flat-topped!! and
>generates a huge amount of hash.
> Also,I have never found PFC to contribute to resonance
>problems regarding the use of neons. My finding is that those
>problems arise because of interactions between the neon secondary L
>and any capacitances in the neon secondary/Tesla primary system.
>In a pole pig system, those capacitances can resonate with primary
>components (limiting chokes etc) as the pole-pig is a near ideal
>transformer.
>
>Malcolm
><snip>
I am happy to find someone knowledgeable enough with which to discuss this
subject.
There is no contradiction. You are talking about something different. That
is, the losses in the wiring distribution system due to reactive currents. I
mentioned this in my letter when I referred to "based on other factors". I
was referring to the efficiency and power factor of neon transformers,
motors etc. which are not the same parameters. Some coilers are using the
two words as though they meant the same thing.
You mentioned possible resonance problems in the pole pig secondary/Tesla
primary system. I would be interested in how to calculate the conditions so
the problems could be avoided.
John