RE: [TCML] Variac

["Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>]

My NST routinely pulls ~20 Amps from my 15 Amp Variac, and never breaks a sweat.  Of course it doesn't run for more than a minute or so before I stop and tweak something.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of bunnykiller
> Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2008 8:48 AM
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Variac
>
> Hey David...
>
> You are correct about running the 23 amps but I did forewarn him that
> more than 23 amps will be a problem ;)
>
> Scot D
>
>
> David Rieben wrote:
>
> > Hi Scot,
> >
> > You wrote:
> >
> >
> >> Hey Jay..
> >
> >
> >> The unit is rated for 22.5 amps current capacity, in other words it
> >> will handle a current of 22.5 amps max thru it to the load it is
> >> supplying. If you were to put a load on the variac that can draw more
> >> than 23 amps, the Variac will overheat and smoke and eventually
> >> die...  most of the times, variac failure occurs where the wiper (
> >> brush) is in contact with the windings, either the brush arcs out or
> >> the windings melt and break.
> >
> >
> > In principle, this is definitely true. However, in reality, since
> > variacs are
> > typically rated very conservatively at a 100% duty cycle, I would ima-
> > gine that it would take a really looong time to cause a 22.5 amp "rated"
> > variac to fail by running 23 amps continuously through it. :^) It
> > certainly
> > should not fail running this current level through the relatively
> > short runs
> > of coil firing.
> >
>
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