RE: Bleeder Resistors

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Dave Halliday" <dh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Do the arithmetic and see what the current drain would be with say
10,000 volts across your Maxwell and your 1,000 Ohm "bleeder". Just
because you happen to own a spare arbitrary-value resistor does not mean
that it will work in a very specific application.

As for hot-sticking, you can if you want to -- there is no way to know
if your bleeders have not opened up or failed spectacularly (see
question one)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2006 7:39 PM
> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Bleeder Resistors
>
>
> Original poster: otmaskin5@xxxxxxx
>
> My wife said don't worry, I don't need bleeder resistors.  But having
> read all your advice on this topic, now I'm a little suspicious of
> her motives.  Thanks for your help.  I do have a couple of
> other questions...
>
> 1.  I have two wire wound power resistors (50W, 1KOhms) not being
> used.  Would one or both of these make a suitable bleeder resistor
> for my .03uF 35,000v Maxwell cap?
>
> 2. I'm hearing, even with bleeder resistors, hot sticking to
> discharge the cap is still adviseable.  I have been holding a stiff
> wire (taped to a length of PVC) accross the Maxwell's 2 terminals for
> 5 or 6 seconds.  Is that sufficient discharge procedure?
>
> 3. One of the responses also recommended "locking it out."  Can
> someone explain what this means?
>
> 4. I also have PFC caps on my coil.  I assume these also need to be
> discharged?  Same procedure as with tank caps, right?  Would you use
> bleeder resistors on PFC (motor run) caps?
>
> Thx, Dennis Hopkinton, MA
>
>
>
>