RE: DC solution to neon xfmr problems? (fwd)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2007 00:54:30 +0000
From: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>
To: 'Tesla list' <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: DC solution to neon xfmr problems? (fwd)

I don't believe that the thing that is killing so many NST's and obit's is
spikes.  The problem is that many neophytes don't realize that the voltage
developed on an NST secondary can easily exceed the faceplate rating of
the xfmr if the spark gap is opened up too wide, through mains resonant
rise.  Too many beginners see the spark gap as just one more parameter to
tweak for maximum performance.

To your point, the problem of mains resonant rise would also be eliminated
by rectifying the xfmr.  But I also suspect that mains resonant rise,
coupled with ferroresonance, may sometimes provide a significant
performance boost, so while more durable, a rectified system may not
perform as well as a conventional AC system.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

> From: HomerLea@xxxxxxx
> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: DC solution to neon xfmr problems?
>
> It has been about 50 years since I built a Tesla coil, but hope to build
> another in the next year. I have neon sign xfmrs and obits to work with and don't
> want to burn them out as I hear is a problem. My question is, why can't I just
> put the xfmr output through a bridge rectifier or even doubler to keep
> problem spikes from coming back to the xfmrs?
> Jim Heagy