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Re: Arc stabilizer available (fwd)



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 09:10:10 PDT
From: Bill the arcstarter <arcstarter-at-hotmail-dot-com>
To: danmurphy-at-1stnetusa-dot-com
Subject: Re: Arc stabilizer available

Coilers,
 It was written:
>I saw this at a local pawn shop yesterday: Sears Hi Frequency
>Arc Stabilizer, prim volts: 115 VAC, Sec. volts: 3500.  He wants $150 
>for it. I have no use for it myself, plus don't have the $$. If 
>anybody wants it, let me know.

(sorry for posting this to both lists but I thought people might be as 
curious about this device as I once was - and the original message was 
also cross-posted...)

I "discovered" modern tesla coiling via some research into just this 
sort of device.  Basically what you will find inside is nearly an entire 
tesla primary circuit. Neon, cap, gap, and output coil ("primary"). 

This box still sells for something like $750 new out of the Sears 
Industrial catalog.  Not a bad markup or something your average coiler 
could scrounge for about $50. :) 

This device is designed to superimpose a High Frequency/High Voltage 
(generated by the gap/cap/primary) onto the welding current, supplied by 
the welder you'd attach the box to.  Weldors (folk who weld) like this 
since it eliminates having to manually "strike" the arc - the HF/HV does 
that for you (by ionizing the air) once the welding rod approaches the 
work.  To some extent, using this device will allow you to do a limited 
amount of TIG welding using a stick welder for a power supply.  Of 
course you still need an inert gas supply, etc for the TIG.

 I finally did discover what type of ferrite cores to use in my homemade 
coupling transformer.  The core is important not due to it's effective 
permeability (the core raises the primary inductance by a factor of only 
about 2).  However, the core greatly increases the coupling between the 
two coils by (?) causing more of the flux to link the output coil.  In a 
situation like this (I think) you want as high a coupling coefficient if 
possible.  Turns ratio is 1:1 and there is no use of any resonant rise 
phenomenon since output capacitance is variable and unknown.

 My TIG arcstarter runs on the live half of a half-dead 12000v 30 ma 
neon, using a 4-gap -at- 0.028 RQ with fan, and only about 1500 pf of 
capacitance (doorknobs).  The output will pierce vinyl electrical tape, 
or jump over 1/2 inch under argon, which is more than sufficient for my 
purposes.

 If anyone has any questions feel free to contact me.  One of these days 
I'll get it all on the page, but don't look there just yet!

-Bill the arcstarter - experienced amateur weldor
"I'll try to weld anything!"
Starting arcs in Cinci, OH
http://www.geocities-dot-com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/6160


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