Re: SRSG and Terry filter overheating

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

Original poster: Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com 

In a message dated 9/22/03 6:37:02 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:


>Hi, can anybody help me with this problem?
>I just completed my first SRSG and tested it today. It seems to work fine
>although the streamers it produces seem somewhat thinner than with my
>vacuum gap. After a fairly short run I noticed a bad smell and it seems
>that the MOVs in my filter were hot enough to melt the poly cutting board
>they are on.
>Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
>Also, I would like to know if there are any ideas as to how to correctly
>set the safety gap on the SRSG (in terms of width of course.) The only
>other thing I can think of is what if my strobe ( a modified Radio Shack
>one) is not showing me the right phase. Any way to ascertain this without
>being to fancy?
>Thanks,
>Rob Hanford


Rob,

I also have safety gaps directly across my SRSG.  I set the safety gap so 
it just doesn't fire when the coil is running nicely in tune.  Disconnect 
your primary cap and set the gap so it just barely doesn't fire with 
maximum primary voltage applied.  With my first SRSG, I had a difficult 
time finding the exact best phase angle because I had to rotate the motor 
in the cradle, test it, move it again, etc.  Then I built John's phase 
control system (using a separate variac and capacitor) and it works 
great.  You can easily turn the coil up to about one half power, adjust the 
rotary gap for best performance then go to full power and do the fine 
adjustments.  I have these phase control set ups on both of my rotary 
gaps.  You will notice that adjusting them with the coil at full power that 
you will find phase angle positions that are obviously way off and the 
safety gap will be firing.  Both of my rotary gaps can be adjusted from 120 
bps to 240 bps with the phase control system.  Don't know what to say about 
your MOVs, I don't use them.

Ed Sonderman