RE: Converting to "Pig Power"

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Randy & Lori" <rburney6-at-comcast-dot-net> 

Ed, and list

The reason given by Dr. Resonance for grounding one of the HV terminals 
(and I liked the idea) was to put the bottom of the secondary and the 
center of the primary at the same potential.  Also this configuration would 
leave me with only one HV line to run.

My coil is currently tuned, and unless someone had a reason to not just 
shoot the power to it; then that was the plan.  120 instead of 240 first 
certainly.  Don't get me wrong, I would very much like to ramp it up slow, 
but I'm not sure that my Variac is quite large enough to deal with 30+ 
amps.  If anyone can tell me how to figure out the current ratting of my 
variac, I would appreciate it(it came without an ID plate).  I like the 
idea of bringing it back down slow as well, rather than just opening the 
contacts on the relay.

So far I have:
2 get more caps
2 put a variac on it
1 filter ok
1 get a bigger filter

Anybody else have any suggestions?  Like I said, it would be kind of stupid 
of me not to ask.

Randy
-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 7:07 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Converting to "Pig Power"

Original poster: Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com

In a message dated 3/9/04 11:55:40 AM Pacific Standard Time,
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:


 >Original poster: "Randy & Lori" <rburney6-at-comcast-dot-net>
 >
 >The pig is due in this week(14.4 10 KVA), and being as intelligent as I am,
 >I thought I would run my setup past the list.  The secondary is 6.25� X
 >24.5� with 26 gauge.  The Tank cap is 2 strings of 10 942Cs for a 
total of
 >.03 uF.  I am currently tapped on the primary at about 12 turns (out of
 >23).  I�m not sure just what the modified 15/30 is putting out (half the
e
 >shunts removed).  The gap is currently a sucker gap (vacuum through ¾�
 >copper pipe).
 >
 >I plan to ground one HV terminal of the pig to the case, center of the
 >primary, bottom of the secondary and of course earth ground, as recommended
 >by Dr. Resonance.   I have a 30 Amp line filter, the 500� roll of Home
e
 >Depot special for some current limiting.
 >
 >My concerns:  If the 500� roll is to hold me to about 30 Amps, is the line
e
 >filter too small?
 >Will the sucker gap give any kind of acceptable performance (or will it
 >just �Power Arc�)?
)?
 >Do I need more capacitors (to spread the wealth)?
 >I read (one place only) that a pig doesn�t need any PFC???
?
 >
 >I�m not asking for someone to do all of my math for me; just give some
e
 >suggestions from your personal experience.  I just feel that throwing power
 >to a pig for the fist time without running my setup past the list would be
 >a little stupid and arrogant on my part.
 >
 >Randy


Randy,

I have a two bushing 5 kva pole transformer and just leave both bushings
and the primary floating - i.e. not connected to ground.  Why do you want
to ground one HV output and the primary?

Are you really going to just throw full power to the coil?  Or do you have
a variac to ramp the voltage up nice and slow?  If you don't have a variac,
I would at least only apply one half power to the pig.  Like using 120
volts in instead of 220.  You want to make sure it is all going to work
before just slamming full power to it.  You could also add some resistive
ballast in series with the pig primary, like oven heating elements,
electric heaters, etc.

Will two strings of mmc caps in parallel be enough to handle the high tank
currents?  My opinion is no.  I think you need four strings in
parallel.  Someone more knowledgeable than I should provide input on this.

I am also not real familiar with the sucker gap.  I could not get a copper
segment pipe gap to quench and had to go to a rotary.

I use a 30 amp line filter and regularly run 30 to 35 amps through it.

Ed Sonderman