Re: [TCML] phillips question about wax and more

[bartb <bartb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yes, you can repot in wax. You can also repot in Vaseline, oil, 
whatever. I personally used off the shelf at the grocery store paraffin 
wax. The reason I used wax as opposed to other potting compounds was two 
fold: 1) easy and fast to melt down in the event I needed to.  2) It 
forms hard and keeps the core in place as originally intended. I've had 
zero problems with wax. Many have used wax, Vaseline, oil, etc.. They 
work fine. I've run my 200mA NST with shunts removed on a coil run for 
near 30 minutes continuous. The coil ran sweet the whole time. I simply 
"woofed" a record or two to offset the spark noise (mainly for my own 
sanity). That NST is potted in wax. No problems at all.

I simply melted it on the stove, then poured it in the case. About 3 
trips if I remember until the NST was filled. No big deal.

When originally depotting an NST, it's not only a mess, but also the 
secondaries are easily damaged. Once you clean up a secondary after it's 
off the core, just unwind 1 or 2 layers (about 100V per layer). If all 
the "bad" is gone, then tape up the secondary's to protect to winding 
and hold it in position (I used simple masking tape). Sometimes, 2 or 3 
layers of unwinding is needed, but the voltage drop is still minimal 
(it's not a big deal). The current boost from removing 1/2 the shunts 
makes up for any layer winding removal. My NST went form 12kV down to 
10.6kV, but the current more than doubled (way more). I ended up with an 
NST that seriously rocks and rocks for long continuous runs.

Actually, repairing an NST is not only a good experience (which most 
never want to experience again, myself included), but the outcome can be 
incredible. The work and mess of depotting is the killer. No matter what 
method is used, hard work is needed to get it clean and back into shape. 
I actually had to depot my rebuilt NST twice. Once with original tar, 
2nd time with the wax. The 2nd time was easy and fast thanks to the wax. 
Simply heated until liquid and poured out (super easy). The problem was 
a burn on one of the secondaries due to a mechanical issue with the wire 
too close to the case. I fixed, maneuvered wires into position out of 
harms way, and then remelted the original wax and poured in. All's been 
good ever since.

Bart

douglas smith wrote:
> i also wondered if you could re-pot in wax
> also I'm having real bad luck removing coils inside seems i keep breaking secondary windings not to the terminals but when i remove coils   i have fine exposed wires also cant see were the connect to   
>
>   
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