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Re: TC primary wiring

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> >From julian-at-kbss.bt.co.ukWed Aug 21 21:37:17 1996
> Date: Wed, 21 Aug 96 18:30:49 BST
> From: Julian Green <julian-at-kbss.bt.co.uk>
> To: tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
> Subject: TC primary wiring
> 
> I hope this is not a stupid question, but I was pondering the other day how I
> might save the windings of a neon sign transformer from getting the full
> back lash from the primary.  This problem seems to get worse when the quench
> time of the spark gap is shortened.
> 
> The wiring of most TC primary circuits has the spark gap across the transformer
> and the capacitor in series with the primary.   Why not swap the spark gap for
> the capacitor so the capacitor is across the HV transformer output, and spark gap
> in series with the TC primary.  This way the high RF voltage generated by the
> TC primary will be isolated from the HV transformer output when spark gap is
> quenched.
> 
> Perhaps all this is of no consiquence if you have good RF chokes.
> 
> I have tried this both ways on my coil and it has no effect on the spark length.
> 
> Julian Green


Julian,

You have just decimated the argument of D.C. Cox's article in the TCBA 
News of late!!  Great! I love it!  You see, there are arguments and 
proposed schemes for both methods of placement of the gap and cap!  None 
Work!!!!  The neon is doomed!!  It is the transformer construction itself 
coupled with the service it is placed in by we coilers, and not the 
placement of components which kill the transformer.

All coilers have their pet theories on this matter.  Many swear their 
method of protection is the best.  Those who say -"I have been using my 
method for a year and the transformer still lives"- are probably just 
prudent coilers and run their system in an unstrained and synergistic 
manner for a few seconds or more at a time.  This is the best way to 
protect a transformer!  Those who kill transformers with regularity are 
either new to the game and have not learned the synergistic methodology, 
or believe that 4 minute continuous run times for a table top system are 
the norm.

Richard Hull, TCBOR