Hello Dan,
The cost depends on what you can scrounge. I built a variable air gap ballast from E and I laminations that I salvaged from a discarded 25 kVA 120/240/480 volt distribution transformer. It uses 72 turns of 8 gauge wire. The laminations are about 3.5 inches thick. My ballast weighs about 70 pounds. It was designed for 240 volts and limits currents from 2 to 40 amps by adjusting the air gap with a variable thickness spacer between the E and I sections. It is extremely efficient with no noticeable heating after many minutes of running. Too bad you aren't near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I have a lot of extra E and I laminations that I would give you. The shipping costs would be prohibitive.
Steve White
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel Kunkel" <dankunkel@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, November 25, 2018 2:14:30 PM
Subject: [TCML] Good and Cheap Ballast Options
Hello All,
I am looking to ballast my new potential transformer. I came across this
idea (http://hotstreamer.deanostoybox.com/mnovak/ballast.html) of using
1/8" welding rods inside a 2" PVC wrapped with 500ft of stranded 10awg
THHN. Seems cheap and functional. You can add or remove rods to alter
inductance and raise and lower the core as well. I wonder if there are any
other equally cheap/good or better ideas?
Thanks,
~Dan
Kansas City area
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