RE: Re Re Re Re: Arc Welders as Rheostats?? Variac Mods...PLEASE!

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

Original poster: "Pete Komen by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <pkomen-at-zianet-dot-com>

Chris,

I haven't got one yet, but a minimum configuration would be to build a
special extension cord with one plug for the wall and two outlets.  One side
of the welder outlet goes to the wall plug and the other side goes to the
pig outlet.  The other side of the pig outlet goes to the other side of the
wall plug.  It's all in series, current flows through the welder to the pig
and back to the supply.

If I was building this I would probably build it all into a control box that
plugs into the 220v socket, and has outlets for the pig and welder.

Regards,

Pete Komen

Original poster: "torlin by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<torlin-at-ghostmail-dot-net>

I'm almost sorry I posted this question!!! Here's the
situation.  After many, many years of fruitless searching
and legitimate efforts to buy a polepig of the size I
need, I finally found a load of them roadside for some
work happening.

It is now two weeks later, my back is still bugging me
from my acquisition, and I still can't use the bloody
thing, because it pulls too much power for my box.  My dad
has an arc welder, and I remembered someone once saying
they were using a welder as a variac.

My question, which I thought to be rather simple, was how
to do this with my dad's welder.  I'm sure he would have a
thing to say as it is about this 380 pound piece of
equipment in his barn, let alone me cutting up his welder!


Is there someone out there that can either tell me how to
limit this beast so I can run it off the power I have
available, or come out and answer my question on how to
hook up the welder WITHOUT CUTTING THE THING APART?

Thanks
Chris
Torlin-at-ghostmail-dot-net