Re: Shopping...and AVALON! HA!

["Gomez ADDams" <gomez-at-netherworld-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

on that fateful day 8/10/00 11:23 PM, Tesla list uttered:

> Original poster: "Christopher Boden" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com>
> 
> Today, while shopping at my favourite abandond factory we came across a few
> nice little toys :)
> 
> 1. a small (possibly 5 or 10kVA) PIG mounted on the side of a building.
> There are some rather weird things about it though. It has 4 wires on the LV
> side and 2 on the HV.

This is not unheard of.  If you open the can and look inside, many (if not
most) pigs actually have a split winding on the primary side.  You can wire
them for 120V or 240V.  (imagine pulling 120 at 200 amps!  no thanks)

> It's mounted DIRECTLY on the side of the building, no
> poles, shelf...or whatnot...just a little bracket. It's about 1'dia and 1.5
> to 2' tall and about 40 years old.

40 years old?  I'll bet you breakfast that it's full of PCB's.

> 2. A MASSIVE PIG, about the sixe of a 35Gal drum. It's got a op like a
> pressure cooker, or an autoclave. The top has a Flip-up, hinged bolt with a
> wing-nut on either side. I have to get a closer look and will report when I
> can for identification though we are guessing 25-50kVA. It's painted Green
> and is about 40 + years old though it could be MUCH older.

Sounds like a case for the local hazmat team.  ;)

> We have approached the city about obtaining the facility for the location of
> Avalon and have met with suprising results. We could have the facility by
> spring if all goes well. The greatest thing is that the facility is owned by
> a frustrated bankrupsy court instead of Bill (who is the only reason we
> don't have the hydroplant yet).
> 
> Finally, the Group is back in motion on our housing hunt.
> 
> Now, some questions.....
> 
> 
> 1. Could a LARGE (1MVA) coil be built indoors?

I can't see any reason why not, but I can think of only two or three people
who might be qualified to have an opinion on 1MVA coils, and I'm not one of
them.  Greg Leyh? Bill Wysock?  Bob Golka built a really big coil of course,
but as far as I could tell, it was never tuned well, or particularly
efficient.  And so far as I know, he's not on this list.  :)

> One of the buildings is an
> old 4 story structure with one large room topped with a 25ton gantry crane.
> A 40' coil could be build and operated in here with ease.

*pant-pant*
*lust*
*sigh*

The Colorado coilers had a nice (but smaller) high-ceiling facility about a
year ago, until the landlord kicked everyone out, claiming he was going to
tear down the building... it's still standing.
 
> 2. Can a coil be buit in such a way that the coil is indoors up to the roof,
> and the topload sits on the roof ouside?

Consider a retractable roof.  it worked for Tesla.  You need a copy of his
Colorado Springs Notes, if you don't already have one.
 
> 3. What are the effects of running a large coil in the city?

Complaints to the cops about noise- check local noise ordinances.

Complaints to the FCC about interference.

Fear complaints to cops- have an attorney check the books for old "infernal
machine" laws.  I'm not kidding.

> What can we do to minimise our impact on the surrounding community?

Preemptive communication.  Mail out pamphlets explaining what you are doing,
and why, and why it's not a danger to them.  Explain how you intend to
mitigate interference.  Provide a first-contact number (preferably a pager,
not an answering machine) for complaints.  And respond to it!

Of course, that sort of thing could backfire.  If the local community
decides that some whacked-out bunch of mad scientists are building a
doomsday device, they may light torches, take up pitchforks, and run you out
of town.  People fear what they do not understand.

Consider charging admission.  Consider doing demonstrations for schools.
Consider providing high voltage testing services.

> Noise isn't an issue,
> and light/arcs are fine (we have plenty of room) it's the EMF/EMI I worry
> about.
 
 You'd better be prepared to deal with the FCC.  I can see it now: "You got
a license for that 1 million watt AM transmitter, boy?"

> Finally......Avalon is coming along. Construction should be simple...it's
> the logistics that are such a pain. BS-Red tape-and lawyers can give a would
> be coiler fits :) And at 25 I'm entirely too young for ulcers.

I had an ulcer at 25.  I healed it by living like a monk for a year.

- Gomez

....................................
If "all the world's a stage", I want
better lighting and costumes!