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Re: dying neons
From: gweaver[SMTP:gweaver-at-earthlink-dot-net]
Sent: Monday, September 01, 1997 2:30 PM
To: Tesla List
Subject: Re: dying neons
>
>I am having a little trouble with my neons. I believe it is because I
>am over stressing them but I'd like to know what I can do to save them.
>The other night, I was testing out my toriod and a sphere and I was
>getting my largest arcs yet. Anyway, none of my runs went longer than
>15-20 sec and then eventually, everything would stop and the neon would
>make a low, quietsounding buzz/hum. I didn't leave it plugged in when I
>noticed that. I'd run it a bit longer and it'd happen again. The neon
>also began to warm. My safety gap would fire occasionally. What
>exactly is happening in the system that causes it to fire anyway? I
>have two chokes, but perhaps they aren't good enough. They're 8" of 2"
>diam. pvc wound with regular (not magnet wire) 22 awg insulated wire. I
>recall some one suggesting that you use the same wire used for the
>secondary, what's the story on that? I don't have any capacitors from
>my neon to ground either. Would that make a difference?
Sounds like the same problem I had once running 3 neons in parallel. One of
my neons shorted after running the TC for about 20 seconds and the power
dropped. Turned off the power for a minute, then turned it on again and
things were back to normal for another 15 or 20 seconds then the power
droped again. Turns out the neon arced threw the tar but after turning it
off a minute it somehow fixed itself each time. I finally permentily fixed
the problem by putting the neon in the kitchen oven long enough to melt the
tar in the case. Must have been a crack in the old tar that allowed it to
arc inside after running for a few seconds, didn't act like a carbon track.
If your running 2 or more neons in parallel be sure to use all the safety
devices to protect the neons, chokes and safety gaps. I have lost several
neons running them in parallel even with safety devices. It also helps to
keep your spark gap to a minumum gap distance. I have found running 3 neons
in parallel and 8 gaps .025 each performs just as well as 9 or 10 gaps at
.025 each and its much less stressful on the neons.
Gary Weaver
>
>I'm not able to come across neons very readily so I want to protect what
>I got. Sure, I could always set my spark gap smaller and not turn up
>the voltage all the way, but what fun would that be? :)
>
>any suggestions would be great
>Kevin
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