"Jim Stewart" wrote in message
...
Ken Finney wrote:
Off-topic, but the learned denizens here are pretty good at asking
bizarre
questions.

I need an inductive load to switch a 28 VDC 12 A circuit into. Note
that
this is a one time test circuit, and I don't want to break the bank. My
initial thought was to parallel a couple of 28 VDC relay coils to get
the 12
A current. What I'm finding is that most of the relay coils draw less
than
an amp, and I don't want have to parallel 16 relays to draw that much
current. Does anyone have a better suggestion for me? I'm having zero
luck
finding out how much an automotive starter solenoid draws, if I could
find a
24 VDC diesel starter solenoid that requires 3 or more amps, that would
probably be doable.

Just a quick back-of-an-envelop calculation
shows you'd need about 500 feet of 16 gauge
wire for a dc resistance of 2.3 ohms in your
coil. I'd not want to use anything less than
16 gauge and even then for just a short time.
It's going to have to dissipate 336 watts once
the core is saturated.

That's a big coil, either to wind or to find
in an existing device.

Could you tell us why you need to do this.
We might be able to come up with a better
approach.



I knew I was too close to the problem, and that there had to be a simple
solution. Your solution is likely what we will use.

As for the why, we are testing a switch to ensure it won't set off an
explosive atmosphere. The test method isn't too clear other than we need to
test the switch at maximum current into an inductive load. Rather than try
to justify why this really means "a partially inductive load", we'd rather
worst-case the test conditions.



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From: "Ken Finney"
Subject: 17th Century Biodiesel?
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References: y9F2e.87890$SF.48851@lakeread08
Date: Wed, 30 Mar 2005 23:34:21 GMT


"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
news:y9F2e.87890$SF.48851@lakeread08...
#2 daughter is working on a story for her creative writing class. It is
about a modern recreational sailboat in route between Charleston and the
Caribbean that gets caught in the infamous Bermuda time warp and is
transported back to the 17th century. It is turning into a pretty
interesting story but being an economics major much of it is about
surviving
by trading ordinary things from the modern world. I am technical advisor
for things nautical. :-)

One thing has me stumped. When the boat starts running low on diesel she
has them trading an old aluminum jelly glass to a passing New England
Whaler
for a barrel of whale oil. I have no idea what whale oil is like. Is it
conceivable you could run a diesel engine on it?

What else could you use for diesel fuel that existed in the 17th century?


I believe Rudolph Diesel used peanut oil when he developed his engine.