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Help for Sam (Was:Thanks a lot everybody!)
Original Poster: "Sam Barros" <sambarros-at-hotmail-dot-com>
Thanks a lot for everybody’s response on my Tesla Coil questions.
SNIP
I thank you all for trying to help me with the transformer problem as well.
If anyone can get a 1000W NST for me for less than 60 dollars (shipping
included) I would be very interested. Still, I don’t think that’ll be
possible. Now, if you want a transformer, you can buy a 1KW MOT for 150
dollars. EACH!!! I simply cannot afford that. This is supposed to be a
hobby, not a rip-off. Specially if you consider the fact that I would need at
least 4 MOTs to power a coil… (I have one that I got from my ex-microwave
oven). Than they make marijuana legal and they outlaw ALL Neon Light
Transformers above 400W of power. I mean, COME-ON!!! What’s wrong with
this people??!!
Second: Could I make a PVC pipe capacitor, or a Plexiglas sheet capacitor
that would compare in performance to those PE caps you guys use? Polyethylene
is non-existent in here… But I can get some nice
SNIP
Hi Sam,
I know how you feel about your transformer problems. I have the same in
germany. Read up on the latest posts (from me and other crazy guys) about home
brew transfomers. Tell your electric companies to go to hell AND go and wind
your own. This will save you bucks, let you make a custom xformer exactly for
your needs. And you can brag to everyone about having built your coil
completely from ground up.
Forget about using MOT´s. I ´ve done some extensive testing (some of the info
is available on back issues) and found only one type (2.3kv-at-700mA from Gardner
in the U.K.) will hold up to TC use. And (of course what did you expect) this
type is almost non exsistant. You would need to have all MOTS coming from the
same manufacturer. You can´t (at least from my experience) mix different MOT
types, even if the voltage/current rating are the same. You can string 2 sets
of three of the Gardner type in series, with a grounded center tap between MOT
3 and MOT 4. This will give you a nice 13.8 kV-at-700mA psu. The insualtion will
take this. But (yeah there is always a but) you will have to:
a.) use a safety gap across each single MOT (not just across all MOTS)
b.) run them under oil to prevent arc overs.
I learned the hard way by killing two of mine. I only had a safety gap across
the whole setup, but not across each MOT. The sparks from the TC where
great....until... well you guessed it........ it went pop and two MOTS arced
from somewhere in the secondary to the core, leaving a nice carbon trail.
***###*-at--at-*!!. As you have to run them under oil and have a safety gap across
each MOT it makes your setup pretty complicated. In other words not worthwhile
because you would have to feed thru each MOT connection for the safety gaps
(as you can´t fire them under oil). At the prices you mentioned for a new MOT
I wouldn´t even dream of trying this. For $150 you will be able to find an old
welding xformer and rewind it for HV. You could even get a defective one (read
even cheaper). If the secondary is burned out, it wouldn´t make a difference,
but even if your primary is toast you still have the core. So get to reading
and winding. It´s your (and mine, too) best bet.
Forget about using PVC as a cap material. It´s pretty lossy compared to PE at
TC frequency. Plexiglass gets brittle when exposed to oils, so expect your cap
to crack after a while.
Have you tried looking for PE at your local building/hardware store ? Over
here in germany thick PE (6.7 mils) is used as a seperator when pouring in
concrete walls, etc. It comes in 2 meters wide and 25 m long and the price of
about $25 per roll is still reasonable. This type of PE does have some dirt
enclosed, but as you will be using more than one sheet it doesn´t matter much.
BTW - Posts offering to send Sam a 300 pound pig for free if he sends you
300 pounds of marijuana will be rejected! :-))) - Terry >>>>
Aw shucks !! C´mon Terry. How bout for 300 lbs of Ozone? Or how ´bout some
Cuban cigars? I can get those legally here in germany.
Hope I could help,
Coiler greets from germany,
Reinhard