Re: Triggered gap and safety gaps

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

Original poster: "jpeakall by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jpeakall-at-mcn-dot-org>

Ted,

I'm probably one of the last people in the world you should be getting
advice from, I'm a new coiler, and only just started messing with triggered
gaps. Here are my experiences so far FWIW.

I had a two horned sucker gap like Gary Lau's. I added a third horn in the
center, that can be raised and lowered, so I can either put it directly in
line with the other two horns, or offset. In testing it, I disconnected the
tank circuit, and adjusted the gap until it would fire only when the trigger
was activated. In order to do this, I had to open my safety gaps wider than
usual, or they would fire and remain lit.

My trigger circuit was firing a little erratically, and I'm not sure why
yet. I am using the circuit on Marc's page, except that I only have 16uf of
run caps. Maybe that's it. Anyway, whenever the trigger would hiccup, the
safety would fire like mad. Figuring that I was going to wreck something, I
stopped playing with the three horned sucker as a trigger gap, and started
playing with it as a multi-static gap. That's where the trouble started, I
must not have reset the safety gap correctly, because while I was tuning the
coil, I let some smoke out of my Terry filter. Which stopped my fun. I am
going to hook it up to a crappy 15/60 I have and see what happens later this
weekend, hopefully after finding out why my trigger is erratic. This time I
plan on setting the safety gap as usual (so that it fires when 140vac is
applied, with no caps in circuit) and seeing if it fires off the safety gap
when in actual use. After all, although my safety fires with no caps when
set right, it doesn't when in operation. Shoulda thought of that before...

Good luck with your gap. Let me know anything you find out.

>
> John: Please excuse my jumping in on this but I have been chatting with
marc
> off list too.
> I am rebuilding my 900W coil from last year after major damage to the
> secondary (I dropped it onto concrete from 10 feet in the air).
>
> I planned a tungsten carbide static gap and was on the verge of building
one
> when the triggered gap project caught my attention. On the surface it
seems
> so simple and it probably is. Except, initial setting and setup has me
> concerned.
>
> An now you say it is easy to lose your NST? Help.
> My basic multi-segment static gap has a total width of .28
> I have a safety gap set for about .3 with Terry's MOV array.
> And finally, with a 15/60 NST, I have an MMC of .0117, slightly LTR.
>
> If I initially set the main electrodes of the trigger gap to, say, 1"
apart,
> the safety gap should fire, yes? Then, with the dimmer set midway, I
> energize the trigger electrode which is barely in the path and midway
> between electrodes. That should precipitate the main gap to
fire...correct?
>
> Or, should I start with the main gap rods closer...say 1/2 inch.
>
> I cannot afford to lose the NST so casually at this time frame so I want
to
> take whaever precautions are suggested to setup this new approach.
> Marc has certainly been a big help.
> But the initial setup process has been a stubling block and maybe you have
a
> simpler interpreation I can follow.
>
> Much obliged for any assistance.
>