Re: 240V arc welder ballast settings

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

Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>

Open circuit output voltage on an arc welder is fairly low (<100V).  The
older style arc welder uses a variable series inductor (or, more correctly,
variable leakage inductance in the transformer) to establish the V/I curve.
Newer electronic welders use sophisticated PWM circuitry to do the same.

Either way, a welder makes a terrible variac.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2001 6:49 AM
Subject: 240V arc welder ballast settings


> Original poster: "J Whyte by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<xoom321-at-hotmail-dot-com>
>
> (....this is slightly off topic---> but rather important)
>
> I am planning on using an arc welder for my next huge power supply.
However,
> I am curious about typical arc welder output volts on a 240V AC welder.
>
> I am curious if AC arc welder voltage output stay the same as the input
> voltage/ and amperage is the only thing being regulated or changed??
>
> Has anyone ever measured the output voltage of an arc welder with a
> multimeter??
> (I am looking for 130-170 VAC output to my large transformer bank)
>
> I have a series of 3 (4500 VAC 450 mA) photocopier transformers, and I
> really don't want to destroy them!!
>
> _
>
>