Re: NST blown

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

Original poster: Matthew Smith <matt-at-kbc-dot-net.au> 

Dan wrote:
</snip>
>I'm not surprised that I blew the xformer cuz I didn't ground the tank 
>circuit, or put in a safety gap, I guess I just wanted to know if the coil 
>would work before I added all the safety stuff, therefore I accept that I 
>am an idiot. A little advise on this subject would be nice.

Many moons ago, I never believed that touching a CMOS chip could "kill" it 
until I fried a speech synthesis chip for which I had been saving up.  I'd 
be inclined to take this as a valuable learning experience.  Shortcuts with 
chips are bad - the chip can get fried; shortcuts with Tesla coils and 
other high voltage devices are worse by several orders of magnitude - *you* 
can get fried.

For future reference:

1)      Fit safety gaps.
1a)     SET safety gaps - you want them to fire BEFORE the transformer fries!
2)      Use a "Terry Filter" for "Safer Sparks".  This should stop most of 
the RF nastiness from coming back and eating the transformer.

Have a look at (another) Dan's page at 
<http://www.spacecatlighting-dot-com/teslacoil3.htm>  This has a photo of a 
partially completed combined safety gap/"Terry Filter" and a schematic 
(PDF) that you can follow.

NSTs can be de-potted and, sometimes, repaired.  Search the archives 
through <http://www.pupman-dot-com> for techniques.  Be warned - this process 
can be very, very messy.

Cheers

M

-- 
Matthew Smith
Kadina Business Consultancy
South Australia
http://www.kbc-dot-net.au