Re: Passive Ballasting for DRSSTC - My thoughts before Ed Wingates Teslathon

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Steve Ward <steve.ward@xxxxxxxxx>

Hi Dan

On 8/25/05, Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Original poster: "Mccauley, Daniel H" <daniel.h.mccauley@xxxxxxxx>
>
> Apparently, there has been an offlist discussion (without me of course)

Yes, Jimmy and myself bounce ideas back and forth all the time, we are
not excluding you, but i simply dont have your AIM screen name.

> regarding my ideas of a "passive ballast" for use in a DRSSTC.  Also, i
> received word that Steve Ward was planning on basically debunking this
> theory to fellow list members at the upcoming Teslathon this weekend,
> again without me being present to provide my feedback on the subject.

Not sure where you got that information.  I have only discussed any
thoughts regarded as "debunking" with one person, in private, because
he asked about this particular email you sent.  And the only things i
said were already stated in my response to you on the 4hv forums (you
know what my thoughts on that subject are, no secrets there).  I did
discuss my DRSSTC for maybe 10-15 minutes before i operated it, i
never tried to debunk anything, but i did state that i used the
primary circuit for feedback and that i had active current limiting,
but merely stating this as a part of my system.

Anyway, there have been several replies on this subject now.  Just to
state/summarize my current thoughts.  I honestly cannot find any hard
evidence as to why your limiting method works, obviously it does work,
but apparently we dont know why (yet).  Unfortunately i will have to
say that im still for active limiting, if for no other reason that its
operation is easily understood.  In my opinion, we want as much
control over these beasts as we can get.

Finally, i want to say that my only motives are to advance the
technology.  From the start ive provided information and schematics
for all of my work.  Only at one point did i with hold any
information, and that was a part number for a particular IGBT i
started using (basically so i could aquire spare parts before everyone
decided they "needed" them).  I later then stated what part i used
after aquiring enough spare parts.  I do not feel that there has to be
some battle of designs, but im afraid i already gave that impression,
so i appologize.

Sorry we didnt meet up at NY this year, Dan, perhaps next time.  You
missed a great show (10' arcs in burst mode ;-)).

And now i must prepare for DC Cox's Teslathon next weekend!

Steve