[Amps] Dummy Load Blues

[Glen Zook]

Many electric companies will not give out information as to supervisors, etc.  If you happen to know someone who works for the electric company you might get that person to find out for you.  But, calling the service telephone number will normally get you stone-walled.  Most service centers, other than the center that rebuilds transformers, normally stock large quantities of transformer oil because the personnel routinely service the "pole pigs" (distribution transformers) and, as such, do require a quantity of transformer oil.  The personnel who man those centers are usually "pretty laid back" and will work with you.

When I was with TXU, the secretary of the vice-president on the division was responsible for creating and maintaining the private company telephone directory which listed everyone from the supervisor level through the CEO including their home addresses, cellular telephone numbers, home phone numbers, etc. as well as the company information.  Although I was "in the field" most of the time, whenever I was "in the office", she would ask me to help with the directory.  Since I have a wife and 3-daughters, she said that I was "well trained"!  The result was that, for several years until TXU eliminated the Telecommunications Department (I was a consultant for two-way radio, microwave radio, and data infrastructure), I ended up with a number of these private directories.  I was cautioned to "guard those with my life" because the information contained therein was definitely private.
 
Glen, K9STH


Website:  http://k9sth.com


________________________________
 From: Bryan Swadener <bswadener at yahoo.com>
To: amps at contesting.com 
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2012 10:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Amps] Dummy Load Blues
 
> From: Glen K9STH
> Subject: Re: Dummy Load Blues
> 
> Before purchasing any transformer oil, go by your local
> electric company service center. The electric companies use
> transformer oil by the 55-gallon drum. Offer to buy a
> gallon. The vast majority of service centers will just give
> you a gallon because the paperwork to sell a gallon costs
> considerably more than what the gallon costs. You might
> take a dozen donuts along with you to "sweeten" the deal.
> However, at least around here, even the "gift" is usually
> not necessary.
> 
> You might take along a container that holds more than a
> gallon because it is difficult to get just a gallon out of
> the containers.
> 
> By the way, transformer oil is MUCH better than mineral oil.
> If you have to have mineral oil go by a farm or ranch
> store. They sell mineral oil by the gallon cheaper than you
> can buy a pint in the drug store.


There's an echo in this thread.  I stated that a few days ago.  I would not use any kind of mineral oil because it won't cool as well as xfmr oil.  For a DL like the Cantenna, if you intend to use it with much more than the resistor's rating of 90W, you're best-off to use xfmr oil.

However, I wouldn't just "go by" my electric company's transformer shop (or "service center") for xfmr oil.  When I refurbished my HN-31 Cantenna, I made a few calls to track down the supervisor for my electric utility's transformer shop and asked if I could buy a gallon.  He said he would be happy to GIVE me a gallon, and no gratuity was necessary.  I then made arrangements to collect the oil.  Since then, I use the DL for ONLY low power (up to ~100W) tests since it's marginal for high power stuff.  My FREE homebrew air-cooled DL can take 1600W (100% duty-cycle) up to 50 MHz all day.

vy 73,
Bryan WA7PRC
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