RE: Best location for spark gap

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Lau, Gary by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Gary.Lau-at-hp-dot-com>

If I may be the devil's advocate for a moment...

I fully agree that when using NST's,0 having the gap across the power 
supply lowers the high frequency stresses applied to the NST.

But when using a power supply that is not current limited - a distribution 
or potential transformer, I wonder if the placement of the gap affects the 
ballasting requirements?  I've never used such a power supply.  Has anyone 
who has tried it both ways?

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA


Original poster: "J. B. Weazle McCreath by way of Terry Fritz 
<teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <weazle-at-hurontel.on.ca>


At 05:49 PM 04/01/03 -0700, you wrote:

  >Original poster: "Nir Wingarten by way of Terry Fritz
<teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <nirzvi-at-yahoo-dot-com>
  >
  >Hi all
  >
  >I've just finished 'studying' some old TC plans and
  >noticed the spark gap's location is diffrent in every
  >one(usually before or after capacitors), the question
  >rasied is which location is better?
  >
  >Yours truelly
  >Nir(NOT NEAR) Weingarten
  >

Hello Nir,

I believe you'll find that the thinking of today is to put
the gap across the power source, be it a MOT, NST, PDT, or
other type of transformer.  It offers some protection from
any "spikes" that may want to find their way back into the
power source from the primary tank circuit.

73, Weazle, VE3EAR/VE3WZL
G-1#1214

Listening: 147.030+ and 442.075+
E-mail:    weazle-at-hurontel.on.ca
             or ve3ear-at-rac.ca
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