Reactance Measurement

It would be easier to measure it with something else.

Can you use these parts to measure reactance, no. If you have to ask, you cannot do it. Could I use these parts along with other devices to measure reactance, yes. Will I teach you how to do this, no. You choose a probably lethal supply for no apparent reason. You do not show any understanding of the units of measurement for inductance, resistance or reactance. You do not understand everything that must be known of your power supply to use it to measure another component.

Go take a basic electricity class.

I sought this is knowlge exchange forum, but may be Iam mistaken

Well, share a piece of information, then. Why use such an abstruse arrangement to do this when a simple LRC multimeter, available via Amazon (usual disclaimer) for less than GBP£40, would appear to be a valuable and worthwhile addition to the toolkit?

Some members here are reluctant contribute to a potential electrocution by furnishing technical information to those Anonymous Posters, and even members, that they feel are not competent to use such information correctly.

I agree with redfred completely.

Discussion of technical issues happens here all the time. It's the tutoring of people who don't know the technical issues that wastes our time, and could potentially be LETHAL!

I am unawares of a special measurement technique for the reactance of an air core shunt reactor (for what?)

If you want to measure an unspecified reactance, eBays plenty of equipment to measure its reactance, and hence its inductance. If you want to measure DC saturation effects, I would surmise, that 400VDC is a massive overkill. Clamp-on meters I encountered measure AC currents. That helps in calculating impedance.

Hall effect devices measure DC current. To what effect in your setup, I cannot discern.

So far this is common practice. Wisdom is not involved.

Air core reactors have a linear characteristics.

Simple V/I method would provide you reactance, if resistance is negligible.

Apply 400V, measure current with clamp on ct and calculate the ratio.

Only if R is high, or reactor has so high Z that current passed at 400V is negligible, this method will introduce error.

All rudimentary correct, especially your last two sentences. What bothers me though is our now presumably gone OP did not show one iota of electrical understanding that you just presented. The OP did not even specify that the 400V source they wish to use is or is not an AC power supply. (Oh, a simple circuit can be built to measure the inductance that uses a DC supply in a step function.) The high but very atypical value of the supply voltage implied to me that at best this was a schoolwork assignment. CR4 is not a homework cheat site. (I'll aid in correcting somebodies homework, but no effort is replied in kind.) At the very worst, this was somebody working with lethal voltages that had no idea of the hazards let alone the attributes needed to be known to solve their problem.

I agree with you.

But people experiment on their own with very dangerous setups. The least we can do is give them some technical info that will keep them interested enough to listen (read) the warnings that we include.

Sometimes, all you need to do is to satisfy their curiosity and they will move on to something else. Hiding the truth tends to trigger obsessive and reckless behaviors.

I have seen people building large Tesla coils out of scraps and running them with kids poking around. This is what I want to avoid.

Hopefully, our answers will help him choose a safe method to perform his task.

Enjoy the rest of the day.

Regards,

Marco