Re: NST Current Limiting

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com>

In my opinion, I think you should just get the proper capacitors.

Either way you go, you are going to need additional items to accomplish what
you ask.  Those extra items might as well be capacitors instead of some sort
of
ballast on the primary side.  Assuming your NST is sealed, adding shunts
would probably be a very difficult process.

All you need is a 0.066uF capacitor.
Thats about 16 of the geek group caps at approx. $3.00 apiece.  For only
$48.00 you can accomplish what you need with proven capacitors not worry
about anything else.
http://www.thegeekgroup-dot-org/mmc

I believe they have some in stock now for immediate delivery.

Dan




 > Hi Everybody,
 >
 > I find myself in a rather rare position on this list.  I'm trying to get
 > LESS current out of my neon sign transformer.  I had built a Marx
 > generator, and was running it off of a 12/30 NST (possible since charging
 > rate >> 60 Hz), or at least I was until the capacitors spewed smoke one by
 > one.  Guess those 10 kv/0.001 ufd ceramics just aren't up to the job.
 >
 > We'll I've got a bunch of new capacitors that I'm hoping will do the
 > trick.  The only catch is that their capacitance is much lower.  So the
 > Marx generator fires successfully, and then an arc gets established that
 > does not "quench" - hence no more Marx arcs.  I figure that if I scale
back
 > the current to better match the capacitors it should do the trick.  So I'm
 > wondering what is the best way to do this without losing
 > voltage?  Admittedly a non-Tesla question but I hope you'll indulge me.
 >
 > Thanks,
 >
 > Dan Reinders
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >