RE: Requiem for a Piglet: I am a murderer (resend)

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

Original poster: "Dave Hartwick by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ddhartwick-at-earthlink-dot-net>

Terry, Ken, All,
Here's the failure scenario:

I had performed perhaps 7-10, 1-2 minute runs at various power levels,
experimenting with various toroids, fine tuning along the way.

Prior to failure, the system was in good tune and I was cranking it up
fairly high. I do not have an ammeter in line, so I don't know the current
flow, but I did trip the 240 v, 30 amp breakers a few times. Note that I
have the connections to the variac's taps selected so that some voltage step
up is obtained at near maximum settings--280v being about the max, I think.

I have a standard 3 electrode safety gap, with center 'trode connected to RF
ground. BUT!!! this morning I discovered that the clip lead connecting this
electrode to RF ground had slipped off.
Maybe I kicked it without knowing, but obviously the safety gap was not
draining the few primary strikes to ground.

Also, I do not have any portion of my piglet grounded. I believe this is
standard practice.

Anyway,  the breakers tripped for the last time, and that was it. Based on
Ken's measurements, it does seem that my winding DC resistance measurements
are abnormal.

I guess I'll have to drain the oil and pull the core; but I wonder if this
is worth the effort.
The malfunction will have to be fairly obvious and accessible if there is to
be any hope of repair.

If I cannot effect repair, I wonder if T&R would be willing to take the unit
back for some credit towards another? I'm probably dreaming. Maybe I should
just build an MOT supply, but from others experiences, it seems like these
are difficult to tame.
Dave


Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>

Hi Ken,

Me thinks that you meant "325 Ohms across the "secondary"" and "0.061 Ohms
across the "primary"...  Of course, "coilers" tend to reverse the meaning
of primary and secondary from what the true pig users mean...   I guess we
all understand the meanings here...

We must keep are heads during this tragedy...

Cheers,

	Terry


At 12:28 AM 9/8/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>my polemount transformer measures 325 Ohms across the primary, secondary is
>0.061 Ohms across the 240 volt winding. It's a 10kVA 14.4kv unit and has
the
>standard aluminum coils.
>
>KEN
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>Sent: Saturday, September 07, 2002 11:53 PM
>Subject: Re: Requiem for a Piglet: I am a murderer
>
>
>> Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>
>>
>> Hi Dave,
>>
>> Slow down here....
>>
>> 1.4 ohms measured with just a hand held meter may be perfectly normal!!
>> That little 9V battery is not going to magnetize that big iron core in
the
>> there worth a darn.  The primary "resistance" is mostly "reactive
>> inductance" that your little meter can't see.  200 feet of like 10 gauge
>> wire is not going to have much DC resistance!
>>
>> So don't go draining oil and lifting cores just yet!!
>>
>> Here is what I would do.  Disconnect the output terminals of Ariel from
>> "everything", just two unconnected horns.  Then get a BIG high wattage
>> light bulb, space heater or hair dryer and run it in "series" with each
of
>> the two legs off the center tap.  If it is shorted, the appliances will
>run
>> fine.  If not, you will only be able to get about 0.25 amps though each
of
>> the 120VAC legs of the primary windings.  Basically, you need to run
about
>> 10 amps of 60Hz AC through the thing to get a "good" reading where the
>> cores get good magnetization currents.  The fact that the legs all read
>the
>> same now is a giveaway that it is not shorted.
>>
>> Is the secondary shorted?  If so, the above test will fail on both legs.
>> 1K on a pig's secondary seems pretty normal for pure DC wire loss.
Again,
>> the "AC" reactance is the key.  A "little" streamer back flash is nothing
>> compared to the lightning strikes these babies are meant to survive.  If
>> you got this pig from anyplace with a reputation, they probably pulse
>> tested it to levels that make a Tesla coil look trivial.  Pigs just don't
>> die...  Gomez killed his after running it a few years "without oil" at
>like
>> 10kVA...  Streamer strikes just don't have enough energy to do much
>> damage...  Murder?  I ain't even sure there is a body yet...  Start
>testing
>> "everything"...
>>
>> Of course, something probably "is" broken...  Try running a big high
>> wattage heater, or what ever, off Jennifer and check the wiper and her
>> contact windings for a "bad spot".  If found, sand and grind the heck out
>> of it and go on...  You really need to test each part out well and be
>> "sure" that you have a dead part before getting too excited.
>>
>> My guess is...  "Condenser Products 0.05 ufd caps"...  If you got blown
>caps...
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>> Terry
>>
>>
>>
>> At 11:22 PM 9/7/2002 -0400, you wrote:
>> >Brothers,
>> >
>> >I admit it: I thought I was better than those peasants who insist on
>using
>> >such a trifles as a strike rail. I thought I was well protected. Tonight
>I
>> >spent considerable time rearranging the lab for greater spark length. I
>paid
>> >much attention to safety and grounds and all manner of coiling
>imperatives.
>> >
>> >I wasn't worried about a strike rail because I had my safety gap well in
>> >hand, and I thought piggies were indestructible; but this is not the
>> >case--for tonight I killed my Ariel.
>> >
>> >My Ariel. She is my piglet, and I killed her.
>> >
>> >
>> >Oh sure, amidst the tears, as part of the loving post mortem, I measured
>her
>> >primary resistance.
>> >1.4 ohms across all 3 fetching terminals--much of it probably the aloof
>> >probe wire. She then begged me for attention to her secondary. About 1
K,
>I
>> >measured after gaining some control of the racking sobs. We wept
>together.
>> >She appreciated my sensitivity. Jennifer, my tender Variac, shuddered as
>I
>> >asked her to attempt defribrilation. Ariel would not allow the death of
>> >another.
>> >
>> >She told me that the data are correct. Even in death, her stoicism.....
>Dead
>> >short in her primary. Cancer. Probably terminal. I am not worthy of you,
>> >Ariel.
>> >
>> >
>> >On the 'Morrow I shall lift her crinolines and violate my love, but with
>all
>> >the respect  of which I am capable. I will plunge my warm hands into her
>> >moistness and perform exploratory surgery. She suggests a siphon to
empty
>> >her love oils. I told her I will proceed with care, but I fear that I am
>not
>> >worthy. She told me  she still loves me, and I wept once again.
>> >
>> >Forgive me Ariel! I will do my best to save you my darling. Should
>> >revivification obtain, I will effect the construction of a strike rail
of
>> >such felicity that we will weep together again in  production of sacred
>> >resonant discharge. We've shared that many times--You are my soldier.
>> >
>> >I will not forsake thee, sweet love.
>> >
>> >With  humility,
>> >Dave Hartwick
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>