Re: Repotting NSTs

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Jonathan Peakall" <jpeakall@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

Dr R, Gary, All,

I am building such a relay while I watch the tar melt out of my NST. I knew
I should have it in there from our conversation on the HV list, but I was
too impatient to try it out to wait. Doh.

I am also putting in a resistor and inductor as you reccomended. I posted
this to the HV list, but I'm not sure how to hook it up. Should it go:

+ from doubler ---resistor----inductor---relay---marx
-  from doubler--------------------------relay---marx

Vaseline sounds good. Seems like that would be easier to melt out for future
repairs than wax would be. And it seems like vaseline would have less
contraction issues. Where should I look for bulk vaseline? Do feed stores
carry it, like they do mineral oil?

Thanks as always,

Jonathan
www.madlabs.info



----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 1:43 PM
Subject: Re: Repotting NSTs


> Original poster: "resonance" <resonance@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>
>
> With a Marx gen you should always disconnect the power supply prior
> to firing using a HV relay.  Saves your diodes and xmfrs.
>
> You could drop them into a plastic Walmart tub with mineral oil
> (healthstore) or xmfr oil.  Then you can remove shunts and increase
> the current as well.
>
> Dr. Resonance
>
> >Well, I finally destroyed an NST. I wouldn't worry about it, except that
it
> >is a 12/120, and the 120's are rare. I was using it to power a Marx bank.
I
> >get full spark from one side and a wimpy spark from the other. The good
side
> >reades a few ohms higher than the bad side, which is probably how it was
> >before. This makes me believe that the cause is carbon tracking.
> >
> >So yesterday I melted the tar. It was quite easy. I used an old metal
pot,
> >the kind used for canning. I cut a hole in the side large enough to fit
the
> >barrel of my heat gun in there. Put some old clothes on and around the
pot
> >for insulation. Took a few hours to melt the tar, but very little stink
and
> >low chance of fire. Anyway...
> >
> >I let it cool, and while it seems a little improved, it is not fixed. So
I
> >have to empty the NST of tar, use solvent to clean it, and then I want to
> >repot it. I don't want to use oil. This NST is going to get moved around,
> >going to school and so on. I don't want to be dragging around a leaky
oily
> >mess.
>
>
>
>
>