Thanks JR / Re: Non ballasting a pig?

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <network-at-neXband-dot-com>

Thanks Jonathon for the reply on this issue.  Keeping safety the first 
concern in this hobby is no option, it's a must.  My earlier coils taught 
me to respect HV or it will bite you.  Of course the biggest bite that 
I've experienced is from a salt-water cap that I used on the first coil.  
Not a pleasant feeling!  Now I like to short the primary tank circuit and 
only have contact with one hand while making changes/tuning my coil.
  The whole reason I've brought up this issue is because I've grown tired 
of my DC powered MOT coil respectively, and am ready to move on to 
something else.  I did wire the pig to a 120v 15amp line just to see what 
difference there would be pulling an arc on the pig compared to the 2 MOT 
supply.  It actually would arc without tripping the breaker.  That's why I 
was curious if the 100amp breaker would suffice.  Now I see how that just 
will not work on a TC considering the outrageous amount of amps that it 
pulls.
  I've still got alot to learn in this hobby and am thankful for this 
forum and the knowledgeable insight such as yours.

Gregg




You wrote:  

>Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz " 
>
>Gregg, All,
>
>       With total respect possible, I think you may need to may need to 
study
>some more before you go about building a pig-powered coil. I'm not sure 
of your
>electrical / HV experience? 
>       Any HV transformer that is not current-limted ( a pig, potential
>transformer, even a MOT) needs to have some sort of ballast. If you plug 
one of
>them straight into the sockect, It will draw infinate amps, heat up 
wiring, and
>make you prey the circuit breaker kicks.  Plus if someone were to be very
>hap-hazard and not even use a switch (I hope no one would do that) The 
plug
>could become welded into the outlet.
>       I don't mean to insult you in any way, we just want everyone to be 
safe.
>Pigs, and other HV devices can be extremely dangerous. One touch (not 
even a
>touch, just get within an inch or so) can be enough. Bam. Your dead. Not a
>second chance. No one wants that.
>
>Saftey first (sorry Ted :-\  )
>
>Jonathon Reinhart
>----------------------------------------
>kidd6488-at-aol-dot-com
>hot-streamer-dot-com/jonathon
>
>
>In a message dated 10/14/02 8:16:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>writes:
>
>>
>> Hello list,
>>   I've been following some posts where ppl are talking about what it 
>> takes to ballast a pig and was wondering this...
>>
>> I recently installed a new breaker box(200amp) in my house in which I 
>> reserved a 100amp 240v breaker for my shop.  Is it possible that this 
>> would be enough to power my 7.5kva pig without ballasts?  If I still 
need 
>> to, would one 3000w heater element be enough even though it's lossy?  
I'm 
>> not fortunate enough to have a stick welder, just a wire welder and the 
>> water heater element is handy;)
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Gregg Adams