Re: HF Arc starter / stablilizer

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

Original poster: "Jim Lux" <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net> 


----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2004 3:45 PM
Subject: HF Arc starter / stablilizer


 > Original poster: Ben McMillen <spoonman534-at-yahoo-dot-com>
 >
 > Hello all,
 >     I recently came across a power supply rated for 5V -at- 110A (out of an
 > '88 mainframe) and it looked like a good candidate for a welder supply. I
 > was interested in making a TIG welder and after doing some research I
found
 > that the arc starter / stablilizer is pretty much a tesla tank curcuit
that
 > couples HF AC to the welding line to strike an arc. Has anyone tried to
 > build one of these or have any thoughts?
 >

It is indeed a simple L-C-sparkgap type circuit.  Typically, they run at
about 2000 Volts. The schematics are probably on the web. You could use
fairly run of the mill caps for it.

For what it's worth, the stabilizer makes life with a TIG much easier.
However, I don't know that 5V is enough to make a stable arc.  You probably
want 10-20 V.  There are all sorts of stories about welding your cracked car
frame/axle/other essental part with jumper cables and coat hangers for
electrodes, and upon challenging the welders at work to this, they
discovered, by much empirical research, that it really takes two batteries
in series, even using a  regular TIG "torch".