Re: Commercial SSTC

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Mddeming@xxxxxxx 

Hi Steve, All,
In addition to the fallacies pointed out below, I would like to add 
the following observations:

1) The web site is an obvious amateur construct.

2) The "company" gives no physical address and can be paid only 
through a Paypal account where the owner's identity is hidden.

3) The traditional TC diagram shows the cap across the supply - not 
the best arrangement.

4) A thirty-year warranty from a 70-year-old company has meaning. A 
thirty-year warranty from a two-year-old company may be meaningless. 
A lifetime warranty from a brand new company may be less than meaningless.

5) It may be a sound product, but it sounds like a "garage-based 
company" that could evaporate at any time, and the hype reeks of 
inexperience/misinformation.

Matt D.
Skeptical Auldphart


In a message dated 6/24/06 12:02:06 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, 
tesla@xxxxxxxxxx writes:
Original poster: <dhmccauley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>


I'm not familiar with the company or person, but the description does
contain several errors.

1.  But if by accident someone were to touch these high Voltage arcs it is
most likely that minimal and in every test done so far, no damage or harm is
done to the human body, it is normally felt as a slight hot prick. If this
were a normal DRSSTC or a spark gap Tesla coil serious damage and the
possibility of death would result, along with a lot of pain. But effects of
this "safer" waveform

  -  There is NO SUCH thing as a safe waveform - patent or no patent,
and it is very irresponsible to make claim to such, especially for something
being sold as a product.  Just because you cannot feel pain, doesn't mean
damage isn't occuring.  Painless shock does not equal no damage to tissue.
Also, i'm curious to what tests were actually performed to validate this
claim.

2.  "This SSTC has no spark gap, which can also release dangerous UV rays
than can damage eyes."

  - SSTCs, especially CW and half-wave, produce lots of UV light.

3.  "Another good thing about SSTC's is that they release 95% less ozone
than a spark gap Tesla coil. The spark gap itself is what releases most of
the ozone."

  - Again, i'm not sure where this number comes from.  SSTCs can
release just as much ozone as spark gap coils, and quickly fill a room with
it.  And again, i'm not sure where the claim comes that most the ozone is
produced in the spark gap.




> Coilers,
>
> I ran across a website of a company that manufactures and sells SSTCs.
> See
> http://www.teslacoil.net/images/SSTC-3-disWEBBuy.htm .  According to the
> description and photos, it uses 4 IGBTs in an H-bridge, with power to it
> controlled by an SCR, runs a max of 240 volts on the
> primary, produces about 36 inch leaders, and apparently is not a DRSSTC.
> It
> produces "safer waveforms"--anyone know what that means?  Does anyone have
> any details on its circuit, theory of operation, etc.?  It
> sells for about $500 and includes a lifetime repair warranty (a gutsy
> thing
> to do in my opinion).
>
> On the negative side, there are pictures of the leaders from the SSTC-3
> jumping to someone's hand and arm, and claiming that it produces much
> milder
> unpleasant reactions than does a DRSSTC or SGTC.  Even though he says one
> should not perform that experiment themselves, pictures speak louder than
> words and may lead others to try it with unfortunate results.  DON'T DO
> THAT!
>
> Anyway, if you know something about this particular SSTC, please share it
> with the rest of us.
>
> Thanks,
> --Steve Y.