Re: Why people don't use MOTs in a TC

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

Original poster: "Jason Johnson by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <hvjjohnson13-at-hotmail-dot-com>

You're gonna catch flak on this one. I've used MOTs for a few years now,
and you just can't beat them. I could never find an NST or an obit, and
believe me, I looked. The only NSTs I could find would have cost me
$120.00 and they were 15/30s. Thats 450 watts for over 100 bucks! No way
I'd pay that. I had already collected a few MOTs so I decided to give
them a try. I put two in series for 4800 volts at as much current as you
want, and put them under 3 quarts of SAE 30 motor oil. $5.00 total cost.
The first time I fired up my coil I got 4 foot long HOT arcs. After that
I didn't even want an NST. I've got two NSTs now I got for free, but it
took two years to find some in my price range. I've had to replace one
MOT in 2 years of service, and it got hit with 5 feet of arc. I've got
one the exact same as it and the two MOTs I run now can handle 2 KVA
easy. They weigh a bit more than my 12/30 NST and aern't a lot bigger.
They really are just like little pole pigs, they are near
indestructible, they have high power factor, and as long as you keep
them under oil they will handle many KVA.

Too low voltage? No, I don't think so, gaps may take some thought, but
its very easily doable. I have a 460 BPS rotary that reliably fires at
2kv and will run for several minutes with no problem at these currents.
It took 2 days and 25 dollars to make. And no, I'm not a precision
machinist, I made it with a jigsaw, $40 drill press, hacksaw, and
handfile. I've also run airblast gaps that work fine too, but not as
good as the rotary. Magnetic quench static gaps would work too with good
NIB magnets and tungsten carbide electrodes. So would triggered gaps.

Inneficient at these voltages/currents? No, My coil, before I burnt the
secondary coil, would put out 78" of max repeatable spark, measured
point to point, on a 120 volt 15amp breaker, and thats with the rotary
(2.5 amps) plugged into the same circuit. This beats most very
effiecient NST coils.

Danger is a relative thing, and with respect MOTs are just as safe as
NSTs.

I'd be glad to field any questions.

<< Jason R. Johnson >>
G-3 #1129
The Geek Group
http://www.thegeekgroup-dot-org/

"The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and
stupidity."
 -Albert Einstein

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Monday, July 15, 2002 10:22 AM
Subject: Why people don't use MOTs in a TC


> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<dan.gallagher-at-pulsartech-dot-com>
>
> Hi folks,
> Just had to chime in on this one.
>
> I've read a lot about using MOTs in a TC. First of all I think the
current
> is too high and voltage too low. NSTs are abundant and I got mine for
free
> (15/60). So I do not see why people go the MOT route. Like this hobby
is
> not dangerous enough?
>
> My $.02
> Dan
> Ft. Lauderdale
>