Re: Strange operating conditions for a SSTC

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

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

The first thing I would suspect is that the inductance of your 30 amp variac
is making the coil run more in-tune as opposed to when you run it without a
variac.

Does moving the variac closer or farther away make the output change?

Is it possible that the grounding wire in the power cord you are using is
broken between the variac and the wallplug and that the big variac is acting
as a counterpoise type of ground?

I'm probably just shooting in the dark, but at least these points are
something to check out.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2003 8:54 PM
Subject: Re: Strange operating conditions for a SSTC


 > Original poster: "Steven Ward by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<srward16-at-hotmail-dot-com>
 >
 > That is very strange!
 >
 > Are you sure that the coil is still in tune?
 >
 > Otherwise, maybe (just a somewhat ignorant guess), the variacs inductance
 > is energy storage for the coil?  My SSTCs seem to draw some hefty peak
 > powers, but really, that is a small coil.  Ive run mine with and without
 > variacs with the same outputs (at 500w and 12" sparks) and with variacs of
 > different sizes at 1400w with 18" sparks(2 different coils).
 >
 > Other than that, i dont know what else to say!
 >
 >
 > >From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > >To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 > >Subject: Strange operating conditions for a SSTC
 > >Date: Mon, 07 Jul 2003 19:41:52 -0600
 > >
 > >Original poster: "Skip Greiner by way of Terry Fritz
 > ><teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <sgreiner-at-wwnet-dot-com>
 > >
 > >Hi All
 > >I have one of Captain Dan's SSTCs. It runs great under a certain set of
 > >conditions. As many of you know it is designed to operate directly from
the
 > >117 vac mains. I use a 30 amp variac between my home power panel and my
 > >various TCs. A 30 amp line filter is used between the variac and the home
 > >power panel. The SSTC runs great when connected to the 30 amp variac and
 > >filter. When I substitute a 4 amp variac for the 30 amp variac the output
 > >discharge from the top electrode reduces from its normal 6" to about
1/2".
 > >When I plug the SSTC directly into the 30 amp line filter I get the same
 > >1/2" discharge. When I plug the SSTC into a wall socket I get the same
1/2"
 > >discharge. It doesn't appear to operate well except when connected to the
30
 > >amp variac in series with the filter. A small disruptive TC with a
 > >synchronous break and another with an RQ gap operate well in any of the
 > >listed variations.Has anyone experienced this problem? Any suggestions
would
 > >be appreciated.
 > >
 > >Skip
 >