Re: Wire-wound resistors as dummy test load

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Original poster: "Edward Wingate by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ewing7-at-rochester.rr-dot-com>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "David Speck by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<dave-at-davidspeckmd-dot-org>
> 
> Rick,
> Sorry, nope, but in series, each resistor will still be able to
> dissipate its own 200 watts, quite independently of the other three, so
> four in series will give an 800 ohm, 800 watt resistor, with maximum
> dissipation when you put 800 Volts at one amp through the string.  A
> single resistor would dissipate 200 watts when carrying 200 volts at one
> amp.
> Dave

Hi Dave,

The wattage rating of resistors in series is only as high as the
weakest link which in this case is 200 watts. Each resistor is still
being asked to pass an 800 watt total load no matter what each is
dissipating separately and it won't work for long. If you splice 4
pieces of wire together in series they still will only handle what a
single length is rated for in amperes. In parallel the 200 watt
resistors could handle 800 watts because each resistor handles 25% of
the load.

Ed