RE: Ballast

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: RE: Ballast
From: "Chuck Curran" <ccurran-at-execpc-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <terryf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
Date: Wed, 04 Nov 1998 20:28:51 -0700
Approved: terryf-at-verinet-dot-com

Hello Vivian:

I too was able to obtain a UPS unit that was original for an IBM AS400
series main frame computer.  This unit was a 3 phase system and the
transformer was about a 250 pound chunk of back pain!  It is wound with #4
square and rectangular wire and has multiple taps.  I did use this last
summer on my latest coil and it worked quite well for current limiting.
Mine allowed me to select taps, which there were many, to get anywhere from
.56 mh to about 32 mh.  The risk I did assume was not really knowing for
sure where the core might saturate, and cause further excitement.  Your high
inductance will not make it a useable unit as is, but you could consider
creating an inductor based on the core itself and wind to your exact needs.
Since I do not know your power levels and other details, all else would be
simply guessing, so I'll stop here.

Chuck Curran

-----Original Message-----
From:	Tesla List [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent:	Tuesday, November 03, 1998 7:52 PM
To:	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject:	Ballast

Original Poster: "Vivian Watts" <V.C.Watts-at-btinternet-dot-com>

Hi all,
    I have just acquired an Uninteruptable Power Supply (UPS) from a scrap
yard.  The model is an Upsonic 200 A series if that means anything to
anyone.  Its rated at 2KW for 10 minutes.  Anyway it has a large transformer
in it which I guess is a step up of 1:2.  I'm hoping to get a pole pig soon
and was considering using this a ballast.  The inductance comes out at
0.125H on the primary and 0.25H on the secondary.  I've heard of people
shorting out the secondary on welders but surely this then presents zero
inductive impedance then.  Any thoughts?

Regards

Viv Watts UK