Re: Non-GFI NSTs

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Dr. Resonance" <resonance@xxxxxxxxxx>


Actowns are mfg in IL at the IL and WI border.

Dr. Resonance
>
>      FWIW, I just bought a coupla new GFI-type NST's off Ebay. Made by
> "ACTOWN", apparently an American company. White painted. 15kV/25mA (yes,
> 25! Catalog lists all other normal voltages and currents available. They
> rate the 25 the same capabilities as the 30's. Dunno why they make
them...)
>      They have a small button on the side that, according to the manual,
> temporarily disables the GFI function for troubleshooting.
>      Out of the box, my units wouldn't run a Jacob's ladder a full second,
> no matter what I did. You have to power them down to reset the GFI, but no
> combination of power cycling and button pushing helped.
>      Top cover removal via a single screw. GFI override button at the very
> top of the side, so it was easy to dig through just a little potting.
> Potting is weird stuff, soft, beige/tan, but crumbly when picked at and
> spongy. Smells like it didn't finish setting up.
>      Soldered the two wires to the switch together and voile! Ran a
Jacob's
> ladder just fine. Actually seemed to run pretty strong.
>      HOWEVER, when I put them under my TC to power it, every time the
> safety gap fired or I ran past 90VAC input the GFI protection triggered
and
> shut them down. It also shut down whenever one side of the safety gap
fired
> to ground.
>      So I pulled them out and stuck a used France 15/60 under instead (I
> had been using a mismatched pair of 15/30's before).
>      When I get around to it I'll have to de-pot them to rip out the GFI
> crap. It looks like whatever they potted them in will soften up better
than
> tar does with a little time in the oven. What the heck, they were cheap...
>      Perhaps if we all do a little research, we can come up with templates
> showing the locations to drill on the outsides of the cases of the major
> brands' GFI NSTs to access the "brain" (which sounds like it includes a
> relay that clicks in and out). Sort of an instant "lobotomy". :)
>
> -Phil LaBudde
>
>
>