Re: [TCML] Was Primary Grounding now RF gnd Center ball safety gap / primary strikes

[jhowson4@xxxxxxxxxxx]

When running my small coil  in the chemistry lab at school I got many primary strikes.  But when running it at home i only got about 5 for a 30 sec run.   I determind that the excessive amount at school was caused by the vent a couple at ceiling tiles away from the coil. when we taped over it the strike problem subsided to the normal or about 5. 
I found it interesting that the little amount or air flow from that vent that was reaching the coil caused such a drastic difference in behavior.  Here is the resulting video that was taken in the chem lab http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L2VJ-jnVZ4

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: bartb <bartb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 

> Hi Scot, 
> 
> I've run in both configurations several years back. In my case, I had 
> less primary strikes without a strike ring. But regarding floating or 
> non-floating primaries, I haven't cased those. I however haven't noticed 
> any problems running non-floated primaries, except when I "know" I 
> caused the issue (poor tuning and moderate power). I also have to 
> express that I've had days where my coil was not moved, not touched, 
> etc.. One day, lots of primary strikes and a few days later, not a 
> single primary strike. 
> 
> There is another "safety gap" idea we could devise so that we won't care 
> about primary strikes (thus eliminating worries of primary 
> configurations or strike rings). The outer primary is most often hit 
> (yes?). Run a wire down from the outer turn of the primary to a classic 
> \/ configuration to RF ground, greater than the primary outer turn 
> voltage, but a place where terminal strikes are forced to go. Performs 
> the same situation as a strike ring without the strike ring near the 
> primary. So, you still end up with the benefits of a strike ring but 
> without the need of a strike ring. 
> 
> Comments, criticism? 
> Bart 
> 
> BunnyKiller wrote: 
> > Hey all... 
> > 
> > Been reading this thread and began to think about the primary strike 
> > and grounded guard ring. Considering that the secondary is developing 
> > in excess of 500KV on larger coils along with occasional strikes to 
> > the primary, I can understand the failure of a primary circuit ( tank 
> > capacitor) system, especially if the primary circuit has no available 
> > grounding available in it. I have had on my system, more than I would 
> > like to have, primary hits from the secondary... BUT what is 
> > coincidental, the center ball of my safety gap is grounded to the RF 
> > ground. I did this in such a manner to help protect either side of the 
> > piggies output from over voltage. If either side of the piggie does go 
> > over voltage, it will arc to the center ball of the safety gap to RF 
> > ground. I have no idea if this a feasible system, but it sure sounds 
> > good in theory! 
> > 
> > Some of us on the list have a feeling that "grounded guard rings" 
> > attracts the streamers towards the primary, thus increasing the 
> > potential to hit the primary. I on the other hand feel that this isn't 
> > true in all cases. I have run the BIGPIG system with and without the 
> > "guard ring" and it seems to have the same number of "primary" 
> > proximity hits either way. This may be due to the physical parameters 
> > of my coil ( large toroid and semi short secondary) predisposing the 
> > EM field to "aim" the streamers toward the primary. But, when the 
> > "guard ring" is active ( attached to RF ground), the strikes are 
> > consistently to the ring instead of the primary. 
> > 
> > In retrospect, having an RF grounded center ball in the safety gap 
> > seems to be able to allow voltage spikes from the secondary during a 
> > primary hit to "safely" seek a path of "lower resistance" ( basically 
> > through the air gap instead of the dielectric and oil of the cap) 
> > instead of trying to produce a short in the cap and then through the 
> > secondary of the hi volt supply to the hi volt transformers core or case. 
> > BTW the safety gap is parallel to the piggies output.... 
> > 
> > For those of you more inclined towards Electrical Engineering 
> > applications with the real experience, I would like to know if my 
> > application of the RF grounded safety gap center ball is actually 
> > doing what I think it should be accomplishing. 
> > 
> > Scot D 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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> > 
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