RE: gmheicslr --- uh oh...once again!

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

Original poster: "Steven Ward" <srward16-at-hotmail-dot-com> 

Hi Brett,


>Yeah, I just looked at that the day before yesterday.
>Like I said in my other message...I am *very*
>impressed with the elegance of some of the stuff you
>have there.  Lots of HV fun with minimal effort, yet
>you have demonstrated a few things that seem to be
>rather rare on the web.

Why thanks!!!  I personally think i could add some more content to my site 
(there are things i need to add yet, but havent gotten around to them).


> > The sidacs
> > are used as a solid state spark gap.  On the 5"
> > spark i had 5 series 240V
> > 1Arms 20Apk sidacs.
>
>Explain to me what a sidac is?  I am familiar with
>SCR's (used them a lot in gauss gun work)...and
>IGBT's, but I haven't heard the term sidac, or seen
>the schematic symbol before.  Is it another solid
>state switching device with different
>characteristics/specs than an SCR?

Sidac is really just like a restricted solid state spark gap.  Once the 
thresh hold voltage is reached, they go into conduction until there is no 
current flowing (or very little).  They are limited in that they can only 
handle about 20A peak (nowhere near a real spark gap).  But with all that 
inductance in an ignition coil primary, the peak current stays pretty low.
Its an incredibly simple circuit that i think anyone with the parts could make.

Steve,

PS, didnt you want to ask about the VTTCs?


>-Brett
>