Re: Arc Welders as Rheostats??

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

Original poster: "Barton B. Anderson by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <tesla123-at-pacbell-dot-net>

Hi Chris,

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "torlin by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<torlin-at-ghostmail-dot-net>
>
> Here's a silly question, why would one want to cut up a
> variac?  I seem to have missed this tangent of my original
> question, as to how to use an AW as a variac.
>
> Chris

Not a silly question. Cores have been cut in the past to prevent the core
from saturation when
used as a ballast (there are limits even to this). It's not recommended
because it ruins a
perfectly good variac for it's normal use. If so much current is being run
through a variac
that the core is saturating (loud buzzing hum), then get a larger variac.
If a variac just
can't be obtained, then the core can be slit to prevent saturation (but the
variac is then
limited to it's use). I believe several posted on how to connect the welder
as a ballast. The
archives are full of info on this as well. I personally use a variac and
not a welder, so I'll
let those coilers talk about that.

Take care,
Bart