Re: Ballasting MOTs

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

Original poster: "BunnyKiller by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <bunikllr-at-bellsouth-dot-net>

Tesla list wrote:

>Original poster: "Robert Schiemann by way of Terry Fritz 
><teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <bobbyrj3d-at-yahoo-dot-com>
>
>Hey All,
>
>      I have been working on a 6 pack MOT for the past few months. I was 
> running it without a ballast, and the circuit breaker would blow after 
> only a few seconds of arcing. I was hoping to ballast it with a 
> capacitor, however that didn't work out so I decided to use one of my 
> spare MOTs as a ballast. I have the primary output windings shorted 
> together. I got it set up and tested it today, and the ballast worked 
> perfectly. However there was one problem... At first the ballast was in 
> open air and it would overheat to the point that it was smoking and when 
> touched with a damp sponge the sponge would steam. So I decided to 
> submerge it in oil, and now smoke bubbles are released after five or so 
> seconds of running (I'm not sure if its the oil being vaporized or the 
> ballast smoking) I am pretty sure that this isn't normal. Any help would 
> be greatly appreciated. In case its important I'm using 110 V input.
>
>Thanks,
>Robert
Hi Robert...

Im kinda confused but Im going to assume that you mean that you have the 
secondary outputs shorted    and you are using the primary wires in a 
series configuration with one of the supply wires feeding your 6 pack.
But anywho...
MOTs can easily pull 10 amps each...  not knowing the set up you have ( 
gonna assume again..  you have a dual set of 3) thus 30 amps pull ( rough 
estimate...)  the wire on the core of the MOT being used as a ballast is 
probably rated for 20 A.  ( looking at mine, it looks like a #12 or 14 Ga.)

pulling 30 A thru a 20 A wire will get quite warm if not firey...     an 
idea  but not a good one...  if you can find 2 IDENTICAL MOTs , make a 
ballast of the 2 in parallel.

if you are feeling energetic, find a largish transformer ( 6" tall X 6" 
wide X 3" thick core size)  core and wrap inner leg of the core with #10 
THHN solid copper wire at about 200 winds    this should give you 
approximately 20 -30 amps of ballast capacity.

Scot D