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Re: Input Power Measurement

Subject:  Re: Input Power Measurement
  Date:   Sat, 31 May 1997 00:50:53 +0000
  From:   "John H. Couture" <couturejh-at-worldnet.att-dot-net>
    To:   Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>


At 06:38 AM 5/30/97 +0000, you wrote:
>Subject:  Re: Input Power Measurement
>  Date:  Wed, 28 May 1997 16:46:18 -0400
>  From:  "Thomas McGahee" <tom_mcgahee-at-sigmais-dot-com>
>    To:  "Tesla List" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>
>
>
>----------
>> From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>> To: tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
>> Subject: Input Power Measurement
>> Date: Tuesday, May 27, 1997 1:46 AM
>> 
>> Subject:     Input Power Measurement
>>        Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 23:42:39 -0700
>>        From: Skip Greiner <sgreiner-at-wwnet-dot-com>
>> Organization: Greiner, Ltd.
>>          To:  tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>> 
>> 
>> Hi All
>> 
>> It is obvious to all that any given transformer can be run in
>excess of
>> its rating. Thus, a 1kva transformer may be run with 2kva input and
>> live. This does not mean that the TC is being run at 1kva since the
>> transformer is rated at 1kva.
>> 
>> How can the actual input power to the TC be measured????????
>> 
>----------------------------------  snip

>> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
>> 
>> Skip
>
>Skip,
>The current can be measured using an RF current meter. Most of these
>use a heavy bar of metal (shunt) attached to a thermocouple. The
>shunt is usually fairly massive. This helps to automatically average
>out the current, and keeps the voltage drop low. This is preferable
>to rectification schemes, as these usually involve an initial voltage
>drop due to the diodes(s) used. You can usually find such RF ammeters
>at those glorious things we call Hamfests. The RF ammeter is not a
>linear device, but it also does not have any "dead" spots. Although
>they were designed specifically for RF current measurement, they in
>fact work just fine all the way down to DC levels.
>
>Hope this helps.
>Fr. Tom McGahee
>
------------------------------------------------------

 Fr. Tom -

 I have connected an RF meter to the secondary side of a neon
transformer
but not the primary side. It indicated about the same amperage as the
nameplate rating.

 Have you or do you know of any coilers who have tried connecting a
standard
AC ammeter, RF ammeter, hot wire ammeter, etc. in series to measure the
input current of a Tesla coil. Making this test with several different
TC's
would give us some idea how much difference there is using various
meters.
We may find that the difference is not very much. 

  John Couture