Re: Ballasting a Pole Pig (Revisited)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "C. Sibley" <a37chevy@xxxxxxxxx>

Definitely not!  The welder and pig are definitely in
series (220 power input to the welder in series with
the low voltage bushings on the pig.  Center tap
unconnected).  Everything is one loop so that the
current must pass through both the pig and the welder.
 Trust me on this one, I know the difference.

I have tried running with welding leads shorted
together and unshorted.  With lower amperage settings
of the welder the welder comes on and the fan runs
without tripping the breaker, so the pig is definitely
passing current.  No spark at the HV terminals, even
with as little as 1/16" gap between "coat hangers".

Beginning to suspect the pig is dead???

Curt.




--- Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Original poster: Charles Brush
> <cfbrush@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Curt,
>
> You don't by any chance have the pig wired in series
> with the
> welder's welding leads do you?  It needs to be in
> series with one leg
> of the 220v ac line going into the welder.
> Otherwise I am stumped,
> but it sounds like something must not be wired
> right.
>
> Zap!
>
> Charles Brush
>
>
>
>
> >Original poster: "C. Sibley" <a37chevy@xxxxxxxxx>
> >
> >David,
> >
> >I only have a 15A 220V circuit to play with, and am
> in
> >the process of getting the electrical upgraded.  I
> can
> >run the setup for longer periods with the welder
> set
> >to a lower current.  But at the lower currents the
> >voltage to the pig is essentially zero.  I have
> >verified and cleaned all of the hookups.
> >
> >I'll try one of the other ballast methods and let
> the
> >list know what I find.
> >
> >Curt.
> >
> >
> >--- Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >>  Original poster: "David Rieben"
> >>  <drieben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >>
> >>  Curt,
> >>
> >>  It sounds almost like you have a short circuit
> >>  somewhere,
> >>  as the welder should not be tripping breakers
> that
> >>  quickly
> >>  under any circumstances. What size is the
> circuit
> >>  breaker
> >>  that you're on and how big is your welder? I
> have
> >>  person-
> >>  ally never used an AC/DC welder for ballasting a
> >>  pig, but it seems to
> >>  me that it shouldn't be much different than
> using a
> >>  straight AC one.
> >>
> >>  Are you sure that you have the welder in SERIES
> with
> >>  the in-
> >>  put to the pig's LV inputs? Only 25 volts
> reaching
> >>  the pig is
> >>  certainly not right. I would definitely suspect
> >>  either the hookup
> >>  connections or the welder itself as the culprit
> in
> >>  this situtation.
> >>  Try using the 120 volt input winding of an
> >>  MOT with its secondary shorted as a temporary
> >>  ballast and simply feed
> >>  your pig 120 volts and see if you get any
> >>  output at all from the pig in this fashion. You
> >>  could also use
> >>  a 500 ft spool of #12 AWG THNN building wire
> from
> >>  Home Depot or
> >>  Lowe's as a ballast with 120 volts input to try
> this
> >>  out. If you do
> >>  get some output with your pig wired up in this
> >>  fashion, then the
msnip....