Re: Converting to "Pig Power"

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

Original poster: Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com 

In a message dated 3/9/04 11:55:40 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:


>Original poster: "Randy & Lori" <rburney6-at-comcast-dot-net>
>
>The pig is due in this week(14.4 10 KVA), and being as intelligent as I am,
>I thought I would run my setup past the list.  The secondary is 6.25” X
>24.5” with 26 gauge.  The Tank cap is 2 strings of 10 942Cs for a total of
>.03 uF.  I am currently tapped on the primary at about 12 turns (out of
>23).  I’m not sure just what the modified 15/30 is putting out (half the
>shunts removed).  The gap is currently a sucker gap (vacuum through ¾”
>copper pipe).
>
>I plan to ground one HV terminal of the pig to the case, center of the
>primary, bottom of the secondary and of course earth ground, as recommended
>by Dr. Resonance.   I have a 30 Amp line filter, the 500’ roll of Home
>Depot special for some current limiting.
>
>My concerns:  If the 500’ roll is to hold me to about 30 Amps, is the line
>filter too small?
>Will the sucker gap give any kind of acceptable performance (or will it
>just “Power Arc”)?
>Do I need more capacitors (to spread the wealth)?
>I read (one place only) that a pig doesn’t need any PFC???
>
>I’m not asking for someone to do all of my math for me; just give some
>suggestions from your personal experience.  I just feel that throwing power
>to a pig for the fist time without running my setup past the list would be
>a little stupid and arrogant on my part.
>
>Randy


Randy,

I have a two bushing 5 kva pole transformer and just leave both bushings 
and the primary floating - i.e. not connected to ground.  Why do you want 
to ground one HV output and the primary?

Are you really going to just throw full power to the coil?  Or do you have 
a variac to ramp the voltage up nice and slow?  If you don't have a variac, 
I would at least only apply one half power to the pig.  Like using 120 
volts in instead of 220.  You want to make sure it is all going to work 
before just slamming full power to it.  You could also add some resistive 
ballast in series with the pig primary, like oven heating elements, 
electric heaters, etc.

Will two strings of mmc caps in parallel be enough to handle the high tank 
currents?  My opinion is no.  I think you need four strings in 
parallel.  Someone more knowledgeable than I should provide input on this.

I am also not real familiar with the sucker gap.  I could not get a copper 
segment pipe gap to quench and had to go to a rotary.

I use a 30 amp line filter and regularly run 30 to 35 amps through it.

Ed Sonderman