Re: More Ballasting this Danged Transformer :)

[Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>]

Hi Ryan,

	The dryer outlet is not three phase.  There are two hot wires and a ground
or neutral.  One is at zero volts and the other two are 120 VAC each but
180 degrees out of phase to get 240 across the two hots.  If course, if you
have some strange industrial dryer and wiring and you know it really is
three phase, then disregard this.

Real three phase is supposed to have five wires - the three phases,
neutral, and ground.

Cheers,

	Terry


At 09:28 PM 9/5/00 -0500, you wrote:
>	Alright, we've decided to power the pole pig using the 3-phase dryer
>outlet.  That's only a mere 10 feet or so to the driveway. (Less extension
>cord = better) Plus, we don't have to make any "uncertified" housewiring
>modifications, and the dryer is on a 40A dedicated circuit.  So far we're
>in good shape.  As for ballasting, we plan on splicing another 3-phase
>recepticle into the extension cord, and wiring it up all *crazy* like so
>that if we plugged an arc welder into that 3-phase recepticle, it wouldn't
>be parallel, but would instead be in series with the transformer.  (We are
>only using the two opposing conductors in the 3-phase system.)  
>	Now, everyone on the list thus far has told me that the readings on the
>arc welder will bear no relation to the actual amount of current being fed
>to the transformer.  I understand that, because the markings on the welder
>were made assuming that you were going to be using the primary coil of the
>welder in relation to the secondary.  But, is there not some way to at
>least closely estimate the actual amount of current?  For instance, the
>lowest current setting on the arc welder reads "80 Amps".  80 Amps is
>obviously too much, but that's also assuming 80 Amps at the 80 Volts coming
>out of the secondary leads of the welder.  At that setting, what amount of
>current would the welder actually be consuming from a 240v input?  
>	
>	Ryan Ries
>