On 25 Jun 2005 08:40:05 -0700, wrote:

I'm planning on building a "universal" self-excited induction generator
(SEIG) workstation. It will have an SPDT switch to put the motor to be
tested across the line, or across a *monster* cap sub box in parallel
with a GC Electronics 20-102 cap sub box I picked up on ebay for twenty
bucks. GC's 20-102 design uses caps rated at 200 WVDC, enough for some
AC experiments. If I were to hit resonance, and hold it by driving the
motor at sync speed, they could blow, but (1) I probably won't hit
resonance exactly, and (2) the motor will blow its load of flywheeling
kinetic energy before it blows a cap (I hope). Caps do take a bit of
surge.

I trust you are using a three phase motor for your experiments - I
have never heard of a sucessful single phase induction generator, and
strongly suspect that it is either completely impossible or requires
separate control of the start and/or phase-shifted run windings.

Suggest you study induction machine theory a bit before diving into
cryogenic experiments and the like. "Principles of Alternating
Current Machinery" by Ralph R. Lawrence, 4th Edition, 1953, is a
classic on the subject and often available inexpensively from the
usual used booksellers. This book discusses the theory of induction
generators in detail, something rarely found in more recent texts.

Glen