RE: ??Where to get a POLE Transformer??

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Loudner, Godfrey by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <gloudner-at-SINTE.EDU>

Hi

My opinions about the superiority of copper windings in a pole pig are based
upon a telephone conversation I had with an outfit that repaires pole pigs.
A couple of years ago I inquired about purchasing a 10KVA pole pig that was
rewound to produce 40KV. I was interested in making a hugh Jacob's ladder.
The cost was too high, and I backed out. I now use X-ray transformers for my
big Jacob's ladders. I was told that they did all their rewindings using
copper wire. They explained that the windings experience strong mechanical
forces during operation, and that these forces are especially strong during
a short circuit. The wire in an aluminum wound high voltage coil tended to
come loose and break. A copper wound high voltage coil was less likely to
have these difficulties, and would give longer service. I am not an expert
in the engineering aspects of designing pole pigs, and perhaps my use of the
word "crap"  was too strong. I cannot remember the name of the company I
contacted, but I was a southern state. Perhaps it is interesting that T&R
Electric (www.t-r-dot-com) states that they do all their rewinding using copper
wire.

Thanks, Godfrey Loudner

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Tesla list [SMTP:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
> Sent:	Saturday, April 07, 2001 12:38 PM
> To:	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject:	Re: ??Where to get a POLE Transformer??
> 
> Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
> <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>
> 
> Tesla list wrote:
> > 
> > Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
> <CTCDW-at-aol-dot-com>
> > 
> > I would be most interested in where this opinion comes from also...why
> IS
> > aluminum "crap"? Except for the oxidation, and to a lesser extent, the
> > compression factor, I can see nothing wrong with it. Houses were wired
> for
> > years with aluminum, and although that is not done anymore, the large
> gauge
> > wires coming from the pole are often of aluminum, which is still sold at
> your
> > friendly neighborhood home depot. I too have a Pole transformer with AL
> > windings (the low-volt side) My high voltage coil is copper.
> > 
> > Chris W
> 
> 	I'll second the question.  What's wrong with aluminum, IF it is used
> properly?  Note that almost all HV transmission lines these days are
> made up of ACSR (Aluminum Cable, Steel Reinforced) conductors.
> 
> Ed
> 
>