RE: solid state nst?

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Qndre Qndre" <qndre_encrypt@xxxxxxxxxxx>

Hey Frosty,

sounds like it is a fluorescent lamp inverter similar to those used 
in a TFT display to power the backlight CCFLs. They are not much more 
than an LC-circuit driven by a push-pull converter. They are usually 
producing low voltage at relatively high frequencies. They have a 
continuous wave output voltage of about 100 Volts at their own 
resonant frequencies which is usually 50 kiloHertz. These inverters 
are useless for conventional Tesla-Coiling because of their low 
voltage and their high frequency.

There is a simple way to find out whether your device is such a 
fluorescent lamp inverter. Connect two wires to the output where the 
tube is usually wired to. Power up the device and move the other 
(exposed) ends of the wire towards each other. If they are close 
enough to each other you should get an arc between them. Now remove 
the wires from each other stretching the spark but not quenching it. 
If the spark is not very bright but only a faint violet glow in the 
air and the sound is a high-pitch hissing noise then it is a 
fluorescent lamp inverter. If you hear 50/60 Hz mains frequency from 
the arc, then it's most likely an NST. Be careful while figuring out 
whether it's an NST or a flourescent lamp inverter since in case it 
is a true NST the high-voltage mains-frequency output is NOT (!!) 
harmless at all.

Stuff described above all applies to the fluorescent lamp inverters 
used in TFT displays or scanners to power the CCFLs. Are you sure 
yours is delivering 6000 Volts? This sounds way too high for such a 
fluorescent lamp inverter. So if this is true your inverter cannot be 
like these used in TFTs for the backlight. Maybe you should just open 
it's case so see what's inside.

Regards, Q.

----Original Message Follows----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: solid state nst?
Date: Wed, 11 Jan 2006 18:39:34 -0700

Original poster: Frosty <frosty90@xxxxxxxxx>

im new to this mailing list and fairly new to tesal coiling and i 
live in australia.
ive built two small tesla coils so far (very small cheap and dirty, 
because i dont have much money to spend on such things). most of my 
parts have been salvage from old tvs, microwaves etc. i recieved a 
small nst from a friend a couple of years ago (6000v 30mA), but i 
cant get it to work with my tesla coil. I was previously using a 
ignition coil and any thing from saltwater capacitors to a bank of 
3kV ceramics. The Nst seems to be a solid state inverter or something 
because it isnt heavy enough to be an actual transformer. a am 
guessing that it works like a flyback or something like that, but i 
havent got an oscilloscope or any thing to see exactly what its giving out.

has anyone ever seen these before?
can they be used for a tesla coil?
 if any one out there knows the answers, they would be much appreciated!!

thanks