Level shifter problems

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

Original poster: "J. B. Weazle McCreath by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <weazle-at-hurontel.on.ca>


Hello Coilers,

I've been working on putting together a new power supply and SRSG for my
coil based on the MOT level shifter circuit that Henry Hallam has used.
For some reason I can't get it to work.  I've checked all of the various
individual components and all seems OK, but I get very low output voltage
from the level shifter.

The two MOTs are 2100 Volt units of identical manufacturer, as are the
diodes and capacitors.  The protection circuit is as per Terry's site
with a total of 1000 ohms in each leg.  The bypass caps are 500 pF. at
30 K.V. doorknobs.  I've checked and re-checked the wiring and can see
no reason for it not working, but I'm only getting about 2 K.V. across
the gap, which obviously isn't enough to fire it.

Ideas anyone?


73, Weazle, VE3EAR/VE3WZL

Listening: 147.030+ and 442.075+
E-mail:    weazle-at-hurontel.on.ca
           or ve3ear-at-rac.ca
Web site:  www.hurontel.on.ca/~weazle