Re: Streamer Hits to the MMC

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

Original poster: "Gerry Reynolds by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <gerryreynolds-at-earthlink-dot-net>

Terry,

Is it a good idea to build the primary and secondary above an RF grounded
ground plane and have all the other stuff below the plane.  I've seen a
number of coils that had a strike rail to protect the primary.  Seems like
one could easily avoid all these issues this way.

Gerry


 > I was thinking more that a streamer might hit the body of a cap and tear
 > through the insulation and into the cap plates.  At that point in time,
the
 > cap should be pretty well discharged.  However, the streamer has enough
 > voltage to easily pass through the cap covering and such.  Mostly physical
 > damage to the cap is what I was worried about.  If a streamer could tear
 > say 1/8th inch into the body of the cap, that would probably kill it.  But
 > the outer plates "should" guide the streamer away.

 > I guess there is also a chance you could get a primary to secondary power
 > arc going with the MMC cap in the middle.  That would do more damage.  but
 > just a new single cap or two and it would be all fixed in any case.
 >
 > A streamer hit might cause much more havoc if it attached to a bleeder
 > resistor.  But I would think the streamer would be guided to one of the
end
 > caps rather than stay on the fragile film.
 >
 > I can't remember anyone reporting MMC damage from a streamer hit.  I know
 > they certainly have been hit, but no damage was seen. I don't know if any
 > commercial caps have been hit from the side into the cap.  I can imagine
 > that may do serious harm.
 >
 > Cheers,
 >
 >          Terry
 >
 >
 >
 >