Re: Ballasting a Pole Pig (Revisited)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

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

It is definitely connected in series, no question
about that.

Curt.


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

> Original poster: Chip Atkinson <chip@xxxxxxxxxx>
>
> That sounds like you have the welder in parallel
> rather than in series
> with the pig to me. If you have the pig disconnected
> you should see the
> full 220V on the pig inputs and no current should
> flow since it's an open
> circuit.  With the pig connected, you should then
> see some current flowing
> but until you draw some current from the secondary
> (output) of the pig you
> should see very little.
>
> Here's ascii art of the circuit that you should
> have:
>
> I--| |-----W----|
>     V=           P
> I--| |----------|
>
> I is the input, V is the variac, W the Welder, P the
> pig.
> Notice that the welder is connected in series with
> the pig.
> Hope that helps.
>
> Chip
>
> On Sun, 8 Jan 2006, Tesla list wrote:
>
>  > Original poster: "C. Sibley" <a37chevy@xxxxxxxxx>
>  >
>  > This weekend I did as suggested below and had
>  > unsucessful results.  With the pig set up as a
> Jacobs
>  > Ladder, and the welder set on the highest power
>  > setting, I was unable to get any spark from the
> pig at
>  > all.
>  >
>  > The problem appears to be the welder taking all
> of the
>  > power, input voltage to the pig is only 25V with
> the
>  > welder on and running.  I do not have an AC
> Ampmeter
>  > so am uncertain of the current, but was tripping
> my
>  > bbreakers after only 1-2 seconds.  Setting the
> welder
>  > at a lower rating would allow the breakers to
> remain
>  > on, but with essentially no voltage to the pig.
>  >
>  > One posibility, is that my welder is an AC/DC
> unit,
>  > and must have additional circuitry over a basic
> AC
>  > unit.  Perhaps there is some PFC or something
>  > interfering?
>  >
>  > Interested in any advice.
>  >
>  > Thanks,
>  >
>  > Curt.
>  >
>  >
>  > --- Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>  >
>  >  > Original poster: "David Rieben"
>  >  > <drieben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>  >  >
>  >  > Curt,
>  >  >
>  >  > You've pretty much got the right idea ;^) I
> assume
>  >  > that
>  >  > you have a 240 volt input stick welder, like
> one of
>  >  > those red Lincoln
>  >  > 225 amp arc welders? You simply series the
> input
>  >  > leads to the low
>  >  > voltage bushings of the pig with the po-
>  >  > wer input plug of the welder. For maximum
> output
>  >  > current,
>  >  > you short the welding leads together and turn
> the
>  >  > amperage
>  >  > selector switch all the way up to the maximum
>  >  > amperage setting. Be
>  >  > sure to the connect the 240 volt input leads
>  >  > to the two outermost low voltage busings on
> the side
>  >  > of the
>  >  > pole pig tank. Leave the center low voltage
> bushing
>  >  > uncon-
>  >  > nected as this will be the tank case ground
>  >  > (assuming your pig is a
>  >  > single phase, 120/240 volt output unit). This
> setup
>  >  > will allow you to
>  >  > draw 50 to 70 amps from the 240 volt ser-
>  >  > vice with the HV output bushings of the pig
> shorted.
>  >  >
>  >  > Good luck,
>  >  > David
>  >  >
>  >  >
>  >  > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tesla
> list"
>  >  > <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
>  >  > To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
>  >  > Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 3:45 PM
>  >  > Subject: Ballasting a Pole Pig
>  >  >
>  >  >
>  >  > >Original poster: "C. Sibley"
> <a37chevy@xxxxxxxxx>
>  >  > >I'm considering making the move to a Pole Pig
> since
>  >  > >I'm having a hard time finding anything
> larger than
>  >  > a
>  >  > >60 mA NST.  I have a old stick welder that
> I'm
>  >  > >considering using as a ballast, but am not
> 100%
>  >  > sure
>  >  > >how I should go about hooking it up.  Do I
> just use
>  >  > >the power inputs and run it in series with
> the pig?
>  >  > >Do I need to terminate the "welding" output?
> Does
>  >  > it
>  >  > >matter what setting the welding output power
> is set
>  >  > >to?
>  >  > >Thanks,
>  >  > >Curt.
>  >  >
>  >  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>
>
>