Might be worth playing with an alternator by connecting it to an
electric motor and placing some electrodes in a salt solution to see how
the load varies with surface exposure. I don't see the variacs are
required. IIRC the test set-up I mentioned didn't produce gassing due to
the AC nature and the O2 and H2 gases apparently recombined at the
electrodes. If done outdoors then the alternator may be able to be used
as standard DC output otherwise you would have to get at the internals
and the internal 3(or more in some cases) phase in the alternator.

Christopher Tidy wrote:

Robert Swinney wrote:

Consider this: Get 3, 220 V "variacs" (variable autotransformers) or
a single 3-phase, ganged, 220 V variac. Connect each of your 3
phases through each of the variacs to 3, 220 V, 200 Watt lamps, 3 in
parallel, to each variac. At full brilliance, the 9 lamps would be
"drawing" nearly 3 HP.

Bob Swinney


It's a nice idea, but a three phase variac will cost big money. At
least round here it will. I've seen them sell on eBay for £100+.

Chris