Re: Pole pig TAPS??

• To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: Pole pig TAPS??
• From: Jim Lux <jimlux-at-jpl.nasa.gov> (by way of Terry Fritz <terryf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
• Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 17:35:19 -0600
• Approved: terryf-at-verinet-dot-com

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Original Poster: mel wise <mwise44-at-flash-dot-net>
> 
> I recently found a pig for sale. I emailed the guy about a certain
> abbreviation that was in the ad (N.T.). The guy emailed me back and said
> he thinks that the N.T. means no taps. So here's where the questions
> come in. If this transformer doesn't have taps, how much do new taps
> cost and where do you get them? If they cost alot then I will probably
> forget buying it there.
> 
> Stupid question, but what are the taps actually for? What do they do?

Taps are used to adjust the output voltage to compensate for long feeder
lines, etc. If the transformer was going to be at the end of a 10 mile
long feeder with significant voltage drop, then you would adjust the
pole transformer to still put out the nominal 240VAC. Think of it as a
variac with only 5 or 6 possible positions. (typically, the taps allow
adjustment in steps of around 5%).  Obviously, the voltage drop on the
feeder varies depending on how much current is drawn, hence, the
invention of the "automatic tap changer" which is a servoing arrangement
that selects different taps to try and hold the voltage reasonably
constant.

For TC use, you could care less whether it has taps.

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