Re: Will this particular Arc Welder work as a ballast???? (fwd)

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com>

In a message dated 9/22/02 12:14:33 PM Pacific Daylight Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
writes:


>
> > I never saw a need to run resistive ballasting in combination with the
> > welder, although I have tried it. All of my coils run as smooth as
> > silk with just the inductive ballasting. I am also a subscriber to the
> > KISS principle! Why add unnecessary clutter?
> >
> > Ed Wingate RATCB
>
>
> Ed, Dave,
>
> I never found any need for resistive ballast in my PT or pig
> powered systems either.  They run smooth without it, and
> adding it just wasted power.  It's also possible that the 
> resistance in the arc welder coils and wiring, or in the wire 
> coils of my ballast are behaving as a moderate resistive 
> ballasting.  Some variac-type ballasts may saturate and
> perhaps require extra resistance.  This seems to be an
> area where a good deal of controvery exists, and where
> insufficient testing has been done apparently. 
>
> John



John,

I do use resistive ballast in series with my inductive ballast with my 5kva
transformer runnning about 7kva.  I believe the reason I need it is as you say,
my 40 amp variac that I am using as a ballast is saturating - I can hear it
groaning sometimes.  But, I just don't have the inclination to cut a slice out
of the core.

Ed Sonderman