Re: Tesla coil help

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: BunnyKiller <bunikllr@xxxxxxx>

hi Andrew...

Pole pigs are designed to carry some very impressive loads, therefore they 
have very little or "no" curent limiting built in to them... MOTs NSTs 
OBITs have built in current limiters in the cores ( these are called 
shunts... they are secondary paths the magnetic flux can take instead of 
taking the path thru the hi volt windings on the trannie core    kinda like 
a magnetic flux pressure relief valve :)   )

ballast is an inductor placed in series with the AC voltage to the 
transformer, it uses the magnetic flux in the core of the ballast from the 
previous sinewave to "fight" the next incoming sinewave and reduces the 
amount of current available to the transformer.
see this page...  http://members.cox.net/bunikllr/bigpig.html

this picture....   http://members.cox.net/bunikllr/Dscf0232.jpg

ballasting Pole pigs can be done in easier manners but you have to consider 
the currents you are supplying the piggie. The so called "simple" method of 
using a roll of house wire should be carefully considered. If you choose 
this method, Get a roll of #12/3 Romex 300 - 500 feet ... ( normally found 
at Home Depot in a box already wound up
big box tho)   use all 3 wires in the casing ( each wire is capable of 20 
or so amps connect all 3 together and now you have a "3 stranded wire" 
capable of 50A). Tye Wrap the coil so the wire wont "spring" apart when 
voltage is applied.

If you can find a roll of # 8 THHN solid core copper ( approx 500') on a 
spool, that can be used also but you may have wire heating problems on 
extended runs

If you live in a city that is relativitly large, check out the local
Salvage Yards...   they may have some old hi power electrical control units 
around and in them you just might find some really huge inductors in the 
cases...   I  got mine for 7$  ( paid 9 cents a pound for it)
had to rewind it tho since the existing wire was toast...

another option is finding an air cooled 10-15 KVA transformer ( core size 
is what you are looking for ) and remove the existing windings and rewind 
250' of #8 THHN solid copper on the center leg..

lots of options...  hope this helped

Scot D




Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: motosk8er2@xxxxxxx
> Ive built many coils before. The transformer is 30ma and the capacitors 
> are speicial ones for tesla coil use from 
> <http://www.amazing1.com>www.amazing1.com . Now for a pole big what do 
> youe mean a ballast is needed?
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> Andrew