Re: To ground or not to ground?

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Gerry  Reynolds" <gerryreynolds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi Dirk,

All the equipment that someone could normally come in contact with 
during operation should be grounded to greenwire safety ground.  This 
would include your power supply box defined to not include the NST 
and the variac housing. The EMI filter needs this safety ground as 
well to function.  I'm not sure what your over current protection is 
(maybe a fuse or ckt breaker), but if it is in the power box located 
with the operator and needs ground, then safety ground is the one to 
use.  RF ground should not come into areas where people would be 
during operation.  The NST located at the coil (underneath it lets 
say) should be connected to RF ground and not to mains ground (in 
case there is a secondary strike to the TC primary).  If the MOVs are 
part of the Terry filter, they should be grounded directly to the NST 
chassis as well as the cap portion of the filter.  The NST should be 
powered by the output of the variac where as the fans should be 
powered by a constant 120Vac and not go thru the variac.

Gerry R.

> Original poster: "Dirk Stubbs" <dirk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> I have a question regarding grounding of my TC components.  I am 
> wiring up my power supply box which contains a variac, emi filter, 
> and overcurrent protection. It will supply power to my NST and spark 
> gap fan.  Some of the components in the power supply  require a 
> ground such as the  EMI filter(10VR6), MOV's, and even my variac 
> housing(would be nice). What ground do I use in my power supply? My 
> house ground or my RF ground?   I know not to use the house ground 
> for my RF ground. Does this also apply for grounding in my power supply box?
>
> I looked in my NEC under article 250 but found nothing about 
> grounding Tesla Coils or their power supply circuits. ;)
>
> Thanks,
> Dirk