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Re: A few questions

Kyle:
	Be very careful about "opening up your gap"!!!!!!!  I think
that has been the beginning of every neon xformer failure I have
ever had here.  Don't set the gap any wider than that which just
breaks down without the capacitors or rest of circuit connected.
That is probably excessively conservative, but I have been running
a 12 kV, 60 ma transformer that way for many months now, without
any protective chokes or bypass capacitors, and it seems to be
doing just fine.  Get 24" sparks with about 7 amps line current,
which is not sensational but about all I can handle in the small
attic space I have.
	A couple of other things.  First of all, remember that
the primary (neon transformer) circuit can be lethal.  Make 
absolutely sure that neither you nor anyone else can come in
contact with it.  EVER!!!!!!!!!  Remember that the center tap
of the secondary is connected to the case.  Be sure to ground
the case (and the bottom of the TC) to a good solid water pipe
ground, if only to protect people from the primary power circuit.
Most of the fellows here recommend an even better ground.
	Second, remember that the sparks from the secondary can
burn fingers badly, even if the shock factor isn't important.

Don't let anyone get fingers near the thing.  Also be aware that
if you hold a metallic object in your hand and take sparks to it
you can get pretty good jolts, particulary when the distance to
the terminal is so large that you are just getting occasional
sparks.  These things are lots of good fun and entertainment,
but definitely not toys.........
	By the way, my first experience exhibiting a small (very
small, though I was most pround of it at the time) coil to a high
school audience was clear back in 1941.  Had a "z" pinwheel running
on top of the secondary, and a lady reached out her finger to it,
with the result that the polish on the nail caught fire!  (She just
have had it on awfully thick.) Fortunately no permanent harm done
and she wasn't too pissed off about it all.
	Be careful, have fun!
Ed Phillips