Re: Question about ballasting and VA

• To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: Question about ballasting and VA
• From: FutureT-at-aol-dot-com (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
• Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 11:49:50 -0700
• Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
• Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

In a message dated 00-03-06 05:26:32 EST, you write:

<< 
> No, I run pig powered systems with .1 and .2uf caps with only a
> variable inductor in series with the load to "limit" current. It is the
> "limiting process" that is under question here. My thought (which
> echoes Ross Overstreets) is that current is not being limited but,
> instead, capacitive reactance is being canceled by inductive
> reactance (I'm guessing).
 
> Jeff
  >>>\

Jeff,

I agree with you.  The ballast is more of a current "facilitator" rather
than a limiter as the cap is charging.  However, when the gap fires, 
then the inductor does limit the current.  In this sense the ballast
serves a dual purpose; it gives *more* current to help charge the
cap faster, but gives *less* current when the gap is firing, to save
power at that time, and to prevent power arcing at the gap.

Cheers,
John Freau

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