Re: Will this particular Arc Welder work as a ballast???? (fwd)

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Original poster: Tesla List Moderator <mod1-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 19 Sep 2002 14:38:14 -0400
From: Edward Wingate <ewing7-at-rochester.rr-dot-com>
To: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: Will this particular Arc Welder work as a ballast????


> >Would this particular welder be okay to do this???
> >
> >http://cgi.ebay-dot-com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1768611412
> >
> >
> >Thanks much!!!
> >
> >Dan
> >
> 
> Hi Dan...
> 
> being that the welder is that small and supportive of 100+ A   I would
> have reason to believe it is a "solid state" design welder. It wont have
> the healthy sized transformer core needed for ballasting a minipig. and
> besides,  the rating on the upper end of the welder is normally a
> woefully low on to off time ( duty cycle)
> 
> best bet is to find a large E-I core and wind your own inductor.
> 
> Scot D

Dan,Scott,

>From the current indicator slot on top it looks like a variable shunt
design, not solid state, welder similar to the Lincoln AC225-C welders
I use for ballasting 5 and 10 KVA pole transformers and it should work
fine for ballasting a 3 KVA pole transformer.

Winding an inductor is not the best bet. It's a time consuming pain in
the butt and doesn't work any better than, if as good as, a new or
surplus commercially available welder. I've been using Lincoln welders
to current limit pole transformers for over 10 years and have never
had a need to try any other method. 

Ed Wingate RATCB