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

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

Original poster: "Bert Hickman by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-net>

Godfrey and all,

High current short circuits will create tremendous repulsive forces within
power and distribution transformers - strong enough to easily bend large
copper OR aluminum bus bar if the transformer is driven from a very low
impedance source (as in a power distribution system). Large power
transformers are designed with interleaved coils in order to balance some
of these huge forces... but they can still can literally explode under
phase-to-phase or "bolted fault" conditions, irrespective of whether they
are wound with copper or aluminum. 

The GOOD news is that YOUR particular pig will never come close to seeing
these conditions when driven through your house mains, so the issue of
copper or aluminum is pretty much irrelevant for those looking to use them
for Tesla Coiling. As long as your pig has been inspected and rebuilt from
a reputable rebuilder, you should be fine with either style.

Best regards,

-- Bert --
-- 
Bert Hickman
Stoneridge Engineering
Email:    bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-net
Web Site: http://www.teslamania-dot-com

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> 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
> >
> >