Re: To cut or not to cut

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <FutureT-at-aol-dot-com>

In a message dated 8/8/01 11:21:27 PM Eastern Daylight Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com 
writes:

> maybe Im biased I like my set inductor and Variac controller for voltage :) 
 
> It
>  allows me to increase streamer length ( up to full operating voltage) from
>  10" to
>  12 feet...
>  
>  
>  Scot D

Scot,

Once the inductive ballast is set correctly for a coil, then
you can run it as you mention above.  But before the coil
is built, it's hard to know what ballast setting will be needed,
and this is why folks like a variable ballast.  Also, if changes
are made to the coil, then an adjustable ballast will be needed
to compensate depending on the type of changes made.
Of course a tapped ballast can work just about as well as
a fully variable one.

I too normally control my spark length by using the voltage variac,
not via the inductive ballast.

John Freau