RE: Power control for soft starting ...

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

Original poster: "Steve Conner" <steve.conner-at-optosci-dot-com> 

 >Has anyone used input power control for the SSTCs ?

Yes. But it works the opposite way to what you describe. It's common
practice to turn all the gate driver circuits on first, and then bring up
the main power slowly with a variac. On feedback coils, this is a little
harder to do because they won't oscillate below a certain voltage. But it is
still essential to turn the gate driver on first, and let it stabilise at
15V before applying the main power. (Trying to push large drain currents
with a reduced gate drive voltage is the kiss of death. Or one of the many
kisses of death anyway...)

Steve C.