SSTC2 - Four Foot Arcs . . . well until . . .

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

Original poster: "Mccauley, Daniel H by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <daniel.h.mccauley-at-lmco-dot-com>



I had time to fiddle with my SSTC2 (as seen on www.spacecatlighting-dot-com)
some more while waiting for additional components for my conventional tesla
coil.

I used a 240VAC, 40A variac to power my 5kVA 120VAC to 480VAC step-up
transformer to provide power to my full-bridge SSTC circuit.  

Today was the first day I would bring my coil up to full design voltage
(480VAC) and it was spectacular.  At 480VAC I was getting wickedly thick
(and thunderous low frequency loud) arcs over four feet in length shooting
upwards (through my discharge point) on my toroid up to the pipes in my
basement ceiling.  I've seen conventional coils run at similar arc lengths,
but nothing as thick and sinister as these things were.  

20 seconds pass . . .

Hmmm . . . whats that smell . . . maybe i should be paying more attention to
it.  Yeah, but this is too cool.  Let me grab my camera in the other room.

. . . walking the 10 feet i need to other room to get my camera . . .  BANG,
BANG, BANG,    SCHKLLLAAMMMMMAMMMMM  ! ! ! ! !

"OH F#$-at-!!!!!"  Fire on the carpet, fire on the carpet . . .

Well, too make stories short, all four 1000V FETS (IXFN24N100 type) blew up
to smithereens.  No, these didn't just crack and blow some smoke, they
actually blew up and some of the schrapnel had landed on a nearby throw rug
and set it on fire . . .

Darn, those things were $70.00 each ! ! ! !  

Well, it was spectacular while it lasted . . .

Dan