Re: MOVs and NSTs

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

Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>

Hi Mike,

The MOVs do not have the power dissipation needed to take prolonged over
voltage (they will burn up).  If one is having tuning problems and the voltage
is high for an extended time, the MOVs will overheat and fail.  So the safety
gaps take most of the over voltage stress while the MOVs are solid insurance
right at the NST.  The safety gaps firing is also a good indicator that the
voltage is getting too high.  I usually just keep turning up the power to my
coils until the safety gaps start to fire :-))

Cheers,

        Terry

At 09:20 AM 7/26/2001 -0400, you wrote: 
>
> Terry, 
>   Perhaps I am missing something, but why does one need safety gaps in a 
> protection circuit when MOV's are there?   Are they not there for the same 
> purpose? 
> Mike 
>