Re: Protecting Garage Door Opener

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

Original poster: "davep by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <davep-at-quik-dot-com>

Tesla list wrote:

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

><Zimtesla-at-aol-dot-com>
 
> Like many Tesla coilers, I run my coils in a garage. Early in

> the game I had the misfortune of having the receiving board

> in the opener go dead after running my coil (at that time I

> was using a 12kv x 60mA NST). One contributor I think in

> retrospect was that I had wrapped some aluminum foil around

> the power unit to act as a shield.


	Good start.

> Didn't ground it,


	Irrelevant.
	Common misconception.
	Grounding a shield box is relavant (hint:
	I used to do this for a living....).
	(May not HURT to ground, but not relavant).

> so probably picked up RF rather than shielding it.


	cf above.
	Most important is continuity and NOT HAVING ANY WIRES
	IN OR OUT.

	At a guess:

	The RF got onto the power cord and rode inside the foil
	and the metal shell (i assume one was present) of the
	'works'.
	If possible: unplug power cord, roll up inside the
	foil while coiling.

	Or rerun the power feed in conduit.  (not guaranteed.)

	Or a good filter mounted AT the box, bonded TO the
	box, isolating the outside from the inside.

	No guarantees.


> Now I only run a small coil (30mA) with the receiver card

> still in the opener (opener unplugged of course).


	I'd roll up the cord and stick it up with the opener.
	(maybe cumbersome....)

	Hmmmm.  Rewire opener wit Very Short (ideally
	chassis mount) connector on unit, unplug THERE
	before using.

> No problems. I haven't tried the bigger coil (180mA) with the

> board installed since it costs $80 to replace and my wife
> isn't too keen on using a push button on the wall to run the

> opener while I get the card replaced. 


> So I wonder, what experience is out there on protection of door

> openers? BTW it is a Stanley opener, if that makes any difference. 


	Suggestions, as above.  No guarantees.

	best
	dwp