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

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

Original poster: <sroys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 19 May 2005 10:12:23 -0700 (PDT)
From: J. Aaron Holmes <jaholmes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: Cheap parts for high-power resistive ballast (for pole
    transformer). (fwd)

I've got a friend with a particularly expensive
digital still camera that has many, many options for
shutter control.  I plan to have him come over and see
what can be done.  My camera is a low-end dial-a-shot
type.  Works for most things, but I haven't had much
luck photographing arcs with it.  Actually, I've had
better luck taking video of arcs and then capturing
frames from the video.  Always the opacity of the arc
is exaggerated, particularly noticable with a dimmer
NST arc, which looks like a solid white flame on video
when it really ought to be more of a translucent aura.
 With pigs, it really is an opaque fireball :)

--- High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Original poster: <sroys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> 
> 
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 17:15:13 -0500
> From: Carl Litton <Carl_Litton@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: RE: Cheap parts for high-power resistive
> ballast (for pole
>     transformer). (fwd)
> 
> Aaron,
> 
> If you are successful with the project and make that
> picture, please let
> me know how you photographed it.  I can never seem
> to capture on film
> anything near what the arc actually looks like.  
> 
> I have a JL running a nearly 150,000 Volts in my
> living room and it is
> spectacular.  When I run it outside, I use my
> 300,000 Volt PSU  (this is
> 30 kVA at 100 ma) and I would love to be able to
> post pic of it.
> 
> Carl Litton
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: High Voltage list [mailto:hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx] 
> Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2005 4:10 PM
> To: hvlist
> Subject: Re: Cheap parts for high-power resistive
> ballast (for pole
> transformer). (fwd)
> 
> Original poster: <sroys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> 
> 
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 11:22:01 -0700 (PDT)
> From: J. Aaron Holmes <jaholmes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: Cheap parts for high-power resistive
> ballast (for pole
>     transformer). (fwd)
> 
> 
> Thanks, all!
> 
> After cogitating a bit about how to hook them up, I
> went ahead and bought 11 new 5kW elements off eBay
> for
> ~$35 (one lot).  Seemed like a decent price.  With
> ten
> of these switched with relays, I ought to be able to
> (briefly) consume all of the 200A my breaker box is
> allowed to provide :D  Regardless of the obvious
> lossiness of the resistive elements, it still ought
> to
> provide for a pretty spectacular arc!  I'll
> certainly
> post a picture of the result when I get there,
> hopefully within the next few weeks.
> 
> --- High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Original poster: <sroys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > Date: Wed, 18 May 2005 07:12:06 -0600
> > From: robert heidlebaugh
> > <rheidlebaugh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Subject: Re: Cheap parts for high-power resistive
> > ballast (for pole
> >     transformer).
> > 
> > Check with your locsl appliance shop ,propane
> > dealer, or plumber. When I had
> > a ranch I used old hot water heaters as feed
> > troughs. I never had a shortage
> > of tanks or heating elements.
> >      Robert   H
> > -- 
> > 
> > 
> > > From: "High Voltage list" <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 20:34:59 -0600 (MDT)
> > > To: hvlist <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Subject: Re: Cheap parts for high-power
> resistive
> > ballast (for pole
> > > transformer). (fwd)
> > > Resent-From: hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx
> > > Resent-Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 20:34:59 -0600
> (MDT)
> > > 
> > > Original poster: <sroys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > > Date: Sun, 15 May 2005 02:43:12 -0700 (PDT)
> > > From: Yurtle Turtle <yurtle_t@xxxxxxxxx>
> > > To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > > Subject: Re: Cheap parts for high-power
> resistive
> > ballast (for pole
> > > transformer). (fwd)
> > > 
> > > Just look for stoves and/or water heaters (Not
> > "hot
> > > water heaters". Why would you heat "hot water"?)
> > on
> > > the side of the road.
> > > 
> > > Adam
> > > 
> > > --- High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > >> 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
> > >> 
> > >> 
> > >> 
> > >> 
> 
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