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Re: Got a neon-What now?

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> >From nikki-at-fastlane-dot-netThu Nov 21 09:41:52 1996
> Date: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 06:24:34 -0600 (CST)
> From: Bert Pool <nikki-at-fastlane-dot-net>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: Got a neon-What now?
> 
> At 10:22 PM 11/20/96 -0700, you wrote:
> >>From brad.alheim-at-the-spa-dot-comWed Nov 20 22:20:06 1996
> >Date: Thu, 21 Nov 96 00:11:15
> >From: brad.alheim-at-the-spa-dot-com
> >To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> >Subject: Got a neon-What now?
> >
> >
> >Hi All!
> >
> >Been reading most all posts for about a year, but I haven't had time to
> >build a coil or gather parts.  I designed an electronic control for my
> >Brother-In-Law's massive animated Christmas light display, and that put
> >me in good standing to liberate a neon transformer that he isn't using
> >in his display.  It is a 15kV 30 mA, nice and massive, with good
> >quality insulators and it looks real good (and it works!)
> >I've made some tube coils before, and some "Ford T" coils, but haven't
> >done anything with a Neon.  I've been reading most of the posts
> >trying to absorb as much as possible in order to design my own coil, but
> >reason finally took over and I've decided to "copy" a proven design
> >before fiddlin' around trying to get creative-
> >
> >I'm looking for a sort of "cookbook" coil that could be used with the
> >15kV 30mA neon and would be optimized for that- when I'm ready for a
> >pig, I'll build a new coil.
> >
> >I'm on a very limited budget- can't order any fine "store bought" caps,
> >or buy any massive quantities of PE sheet to roll one, and my scrounging
> >has not turned up anything remotely usable in the .01uF range. Has anyone
> >had any good results with salt water caps in a neon coil? (I'm sure that
> >this isn't part of the "optimum" recipe!)  I've got some pretty good
> >RF bypass caps, primary RF chokes, assorted PVC tubing, wire, primary
> >tubing, stuff for gaps, etc., so this is the only part in need.
> >
> >By Brother-In-Law also has a 9kV 120 mA transformer that I can probably
> >also snarf up (he REALLY owes me!), would the higher current/lower
> >voltage be better? I "guessed" that with a static gap, 15kV would more
> >consistantly fire, and with the size of the 15kV neon being much larger
> >(and heavier) than the 9kV it looked like it could transform  more watts
> >intermittently. I will probably end up trying both, but what is really
> >the better voltage to use?  Does the gapped core in the neon (and
> >resulting current limiting) render my assumption on judging the potential
> >intermittent wattage a silly one? Is that current limited value the
> >data plate current? (in this case 30mA)
> >
> >I apologize for the long post, but my excitement has really taken over
> >after hefting that neon out of the trunk of my car, I can almost smell
> >the ozone now (or is it burning tar that I smell!)
> >
> >Thanks for your help,
> >
> >Brad Alheim
> >... ...From beautiful Chicopee, People's Republic of Taxachusetts, U.S.A.
> >___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12
> >
> >
> 
> Brad, I've used 9 kv, 12 kv, and 15 kv neons.  I have found the 9 kv neons
> to be more robust in Tesla coil work.  I have never had a 15 kv neon last
> for more than a few minutes of operation :(  A second advantage to using a
> lower voltage tranformer is that you can use lower voltage (i.e., cheaper)
> capacitors.  I have paralleled several 9 kv neons and have video taped 60
> inch sparks.  If I were you, I'd give back the 15 kv and grab the 9 kv 120
> ma transformer!  BTW, 120 ma neons are somewhat rare, the biggest I've ever
> had is 60 ma.
> 
> Bert Pool

Brad,
	I use 9KV neons for the above reasons Bert has described.
Beware though, in the past I used second hand 9KV 120 Ma neons
from sign shops, and they all failed within a matter of moments
in a Tesla. The best luck I've found is to just buy a new one
and save yourself the hasle. The old ones down at the local neon
shops are about to fail anyway. I think the reason 9KV 120 Ma neons
work better is the voltage is high enough to jump a gap while
maintaining heavy enough secondary wiring and insulation for 
voltage surges.

	Jacob Fishman, a fellow engineer, neon light guy and
Tesla fan will sell you one. You can contact him at:

http://www.lightwriters-dot-com/nw/pp.htm
http://www.mcs-dot-net/~neofish/home.htm
e-mail:jaf-at-lightwriters-dot-com
1(800)747-9115
 (847)291-4160

He sells two types of 120 Ma Tranies (THats what he calls them).

15 KV for $328
9  KV for $200

Freight to my home in Indiana was about $12. And Jacob does
accept credit cards. If you call him evenings are probably
best. 

And tell him I sent you.
D. Gowin