iron core of the SG

[kennygee]

I have a basic question. For the core material, does it have to be a small wire bundle? can it be, say, 3/4" rebar material? thx to whomever can help me with this.

[Tom C]

no it needs to be the welding rod to keep hysteresis down low..... build just like its designed and you will be a happy camper!!

Tom C

[kennygee]

Ok thank you Tom.

Ken G

[wrtner]

In fact, to be brutally precise, R45 rods, unless I am mistaken.

[Tom C]

40 45 60 65 70 all are very close.... its the small diameter of the rod that breaks up the little magnets in the core. too small of a rod and it acts solid, too big and it acts solid. but find the right size and it behaves nicelly. metglas and other exotic materials with very low hysterisis can work well its just expensive......
Tom C

[Faraday88]

Hi Camper,
Its also the Eddy current loss in the meterial that matter, as Tom C rightly puts it... thicker the rod more is the loss as bulkier is the meterial and too thin the rod closer it is to saturation..(Magnetic)
Rgds,
Faraday88.

[wrtner]

I thought a most important aspect was the ability of the core to shed the magnetic field when the current comes off, and steel has a serious lag.