Re: PF Correction (was RE- Cap Confusion)

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: PF Correction (was RE- Cap Confusion)
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 1997 18:28:15 -0600
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

From: 	Mad Coiler[SMTP:tesla_coiler-at-hotmail-dot-com]
Sent: 	Friday, November 21, 1997 9:27 AM
To: 	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: 	Re: PF Correction (was RE- Cap Confusion)

>From: 	Malcolm Watts[SMTP:MALCOLM-at-directorate.wnp.ac.nz]
>Sent: 	Thursday, November 20, 1997 2:11 PM
>To: 	Tesla List
>Subject: 	PF Correction (was RE-  Cap Confusion)
>

Is there a quick and dirty way for figuring PFC cap size? I have a few 
formulas but if I remember correctly they all involve L or Xl. I tried 
measuring the L value for my transformer setup but it was overrange on 
my LCR. I suppose I could feed a signal through it and calculate Xl with 
the Vdrop or something. What's the most reliable way others using PFC 
have determined capacitor sizes?

Trying to get the most out of a 10A variac,
Tristan Stewart

>I second what Ed says. Using power factor correction will save your 
>house wiring, switches, circuit breakers and plug connections a lot 
>of heating and stress and cut the bill mildly by eliminating 
>unnecessary I^2.R heating in the above items. It also relieves a lot 
>of stress on the variac. A single microwave transformer used on the 
>230V mains we have here in NZ draws current spikes of the order of 
>20Amps. I have measured this and scoped the waveforms. This is for a 
>power draw of less than 1kW. Two in parallel (minimum practical for 
>serious disruptive discharge coils) doubles that figure.
>
>Malcolm
>
>> From:   Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com[SMTP:Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com]
>> Sent:   Wednesday, November 19, 1997 6:03 AM
>> To:     tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>> Subject:    Re: RE-  Cap Confusion
>> 
>> In a message dated 97-11-19 05:20:56 EST, you write:
>> 
>> << 
>>    I agree that power factor correcting (PFC) capacitors are of 
little value
>>  for Tesla coilers. I would not recommend them because they can cause
>>  resonance problems.
>>  
>>    Reactive currents do not register on power company's kilowatt hour 
meters
>>  and are not billed to the customer. Only large electric user 
customers are
>>  billed for reactive currents (low power factor) by installing 
special meters
>>  like demand meters.  
>>  
>>    A Tesla coiler will not save any money on his electric bill if he 
installs
>>  PFC capacitors.  Reactive currents will circulate thru his house 
wiring
>>  system but will do nothing except create a small extra voltage drop 
when the
>>  coil is operating.
>>  
>>    Note that the electric power company does not sell electric power 
to its
>>  customers, only electric energy.
>>  
>>    John Couture
>>   >>
>> 
>> I think the only real need for pfc caps is when you have multiple 
neon sign
>> transformers and the total current is too much for the variac at 
hand.  Then
>> adding pfc caps may bring the current down to an acceptable level.  I 
used
>> them initially when I only had a 10 A variac.
>> 
>> Ed Sonderman
>
>
>
>


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