RE: Cheap parts for high-power resistive ballast (for pole transformer). (fwd)

["High Voltage list" <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: <sroys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 14 May 2005 19:47:19 -0700
From: Brian <brianb@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: 'High Voltage list' <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Cheap parts for high-power resistive ballast (for pole
    transformer). (fwd)

Aaron,

A couple "cracker box" arc welders work great (like the Lincoln 225's)!
I've parallel them for BIG Jacobs Ladders and they work great. A pair of
new ones with free shipping can be had for under $600.00
http://www.weldingmart.com/Qstore/p000013.htm  and they are always
offered on the used market in the $100.00 range. That will get you into
the 22kva range. 

BTW - Where are you going to get the 240amps (@220vac) to run at 30kva?

Regards,
Brian B.
www.brianb.org
www.teslacoil.com (go to the equipment section, Jacobs Ladders, then
click on "Theater" to see them performing at half power. Long story but
basically the Fire Marshall said "You aren't running anything at 100%,
run them at 50% or don't run them at all", and this was before they were
even turned on for the first time...


-----Original Message-----
From: High Voltage list [mailto:hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2005 6:40 PM
To: hvlist
Subject: Cheap parts for high-power resistive ballast (for pole
transformer). (fwd)

Original poster: <sroys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>


[Sorry for the delay in posting.  I was at a meeting where I *thought* I
would have had access to the list, but actually didn't.  SRR]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 8 May 2005 21:16:35 -0700 (PDT)
From: J. Aaron Holmes <jaholmes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Cheap parts for high-power resistive ballast (for pole
transformer).

Howdy, hvlist,

In addition to some Tesla coiling, I'd like to do some
ridiculously high-powered Jacob's laddering :)  I'm
shooting for 30kVA.  Unfortunately, I don't feel like
investing much (in time or money) in a big inductive
ballast.  Instead, I thought I'd just install six or
eight hot water heater elements in a cheap metal trash
can (filled with water, of course), then use some big
relays to put them all in parallel so that I could
fire the thing up with only a single element in line,
then bring the others in one at a time until I'm
running at full throttle.  Sound workable?  I could
even install a faucet in the side of the trash can so
that the thing could be made light and portable on
short notice (great for Teslathons).  Now on to the
question:  Is there something cheaper that might
provide the same functionality?  Amazingly, hot water
heater elements appear to be relatively non-cheap. 
I've seen a few tempting bulk lots go by on eBay, but
they were threaded in an odd way that made me suspect
they'd be difficult to work with.

Should I just get a spool of nichrome wire, some
cinder blocks, and a box fan? :))

73,
Aaron, N7OE