[TCML] pole pig question ###

Sat Jan 26 23:08:20 MST 2008

I have to definately agree on the removing the power source AT is source 
when planning on any contacy with the hi volt system!! even tho I have 
my caps in paralell with the hi volt side of the piggie, I still remove 
the plug from the control cabinet. Caps can hold a viscious bite when in 
series (especially series) or paralell to the output of the piggie. I 
have been bit ONCE by my system....thats all it took to learn that 
lesson...  the caps were totally disconnected and were shorted out for a 
few seconds before I did adjustments...needless to say a few seconds of 
shorting the cap wasnt enuf, I still got a healthy jolt from the cap, 
but not as bad as the zinger I recieved from an other secondary coil 
sitting on the work bench totally unconnected from any operating coil ( 
but thats another thread/story)
relays can weld shut switches can be left on....  caps can recharge....
multi-caps can open a connection leaving a portion still charged up 
allowing the possibility to bite you.

I understand why a disconnected cap system can still bite you, but the 
unconnected secondary sitting on the workbench or the secondary coil 
which has been disconnected from the system for several seconds and in 
transit to the work bench still has the ability to leave your leg 
totally useless has got me wondering...
Hi Voltage does some wierd things...

Scot D

resonance at wildblue.net wrote:

>
>a typo  ---- should be   NEVER trust your life to a relay or switch.
>
>Dr. Resonance
>
>
>  
>
>>
>>
>>Best to ground one of the pigs bushings, ie, run it single ended ouput.
>>
>>also, NEVER just "shut off the power while adjusting pri tap".  This is
>>suicide.  NEVER trust your like to a switch or relay.  ALWAYS UNPLUG the
>>power cord from the wall before going anywhere near the pri coil.  ALWAYS.
>> Then it can never bite you, and one bite from a pole pig usually results
>>in death not just a shock.
>>
>>Dr. Resonance
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>    
>>
>>>This is how I would hook it up.
>>>
>>>Connect 240 VAC to the transformer primary with the variac connected in
>>>series in one of the lines.
>>>
>>>Put a choke coil on the each High Voltage terminal and connect them in
>>>parallel with the spark gap.  Do not ground any of the HV terminals.
>>>
>>>Connect a wire from the other side of the spark gap to 1 side of the
>>>capacitor.
>>>
>>>Connect a wire from the other side of the capacitor to the inside turn
>>>of
>>>the primary coil.
>>>
>>>Connect a wire from the other side of the spark gap to the aligator clip
>>>wire that goes to the other end of the primary coil.
>>>
>>>No choke coils in the HV lines at the primary coil.
>>>
>>>Connect the bottom end of the secondary coil to a GOOD earth ground.
>>>
>>>Connect the strike rail around the outer edge of the primary coil if you
>>>have one to earth ground too.
>>>
>>>Toroid or sphere for the top load.
>>>
>>>Turn on the 240 VAC crank up the Variac and adjust the primary tap for
>>>best resonance frequency.  Needless to say always turn off the voltage
>>>before moving the aligator clip to another primary tap.
>>>
>>>Be sure you have a cooling fan on your spark gap other wise it will over
>>>heat and your coil will produce sparks for only about 10 seconds or
>>>until
>>>the spark gap gets too hot to function correctly.
>>>
>>>I like to use 12 guage solid copper insulated house wire for all my
>>>connections it makes it very easy to bend the wires and put them exactly
>>>where I want them and they stay there.  Make sure all wires have plenty
>>>of
>>>clearance to prevent arcs to other places.
>>>
>>>
>>>http://home.earthlink.net/~gary350/tc10-4.jpg
>>>
>>>http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=563_1188208737
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>      
>>>
>>>>From: Jim Calvin <jcalvin at newagemicro.com>
>>>>Sent: Jan 16, 2008 4:25 PM
>>>>To: 'Tesla Coil Mailing List' <tesla at pupman.com>
>>>>Subject: [TCML] pole pig question
>>>>
>>>>Hi guys,
>>>>
>>>>           I am trying to test my 25KVA  pole pig.  I am not running my
>>>>coil yet.  I wanted to test the system out.  So this is how I have it
>>>>wired:
>>>>
>>>>I have a 240Vac input with a 7.8kKVA variac with a control switch.  I am
>>>>using the variac to regulate the voltage.  I have a 6.5mH choke (hand
>>>>made
>>>>using 10 gauge wire) in series with the primary.  I have a .05uF (at
>>>>50KV)
>>>>capacitor connected to the HV output of the pole chicken as a test load.
>>>>One of the
>>>>HV outputs is connected to GND along with the pole chicken can.  My
>>>>variac is in
>>>>a control box with a voltmeter and a current meter.   I have a fluke
>>>>meter
>>>>across the input 240Vac of the pole chicken after the ballast.  Between
>>>>the two
>>>>volt meters I was going to check the voltage drop across the ballast see
>>>>if
>>>>the it was doing it's thing.
>>>>
>>>>I set the varaic at a 100V using the meter in the control box before I
>>>>switch it on to the pole chicken and ballast.  When I switch it on I
>>>>would
>>>>expect the voltage in my panel meter to stay the same and my fluke meter
>>>>to
>>>>be slightly less because of the drop across the ballast.  I figure my
>>>>load
>>>>should draw about 8 amps out of the variac.
>>>>
>>>>Well when I turn the switch on the power to the pole chicken and
>>>>ballast,
>>>>the
>>>>fluke meter is giving 110v and the meter in my  control box jumps from
>>>>100
>>>>to 110V (aprox.  It is an analog meter).
>>>>
>>>>Then I decided to use my oscilloscope (I am part owner of design
>>>>consulting
>>>>company and I have access to this equipment) and check the voltage
>>>>before
>>>>the ballast and after.  Well the voltage after the ballast went up just
>>>>like
>>>>the fluke had shown.
>>>>
>>>>What am I doing wrong?  Is it possible that the HV output is leaking
>>>>back
>>>>to
>>>>the primary?  What is the isolation voltage between primary and
>>>>secondary?
>>>>
>>>>I got this pole chicken from T&R electric.  It was actually a gift from
>>>>a
>>>>bunch
>>>>of friends/fellow coilers).  It is supposed to be new/reconditions and
>>>>checked by them.
>>>>
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Tesla mailing list
>>>Tesla at www.pupman.com
>>>http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>Dr. Resonance
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Tesla mailing list
>>Tesla at www.pupman.com
>>http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla
>>
>>    
>>
>
>
>Dr. Resonance
>
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>Tesla at www.pupman.com
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>
>  
>