Thread-topic: Susceptibility of G10 and GP03 to UV radiation
I have a large Tesla coil (6.5 KVA) which uses a RSG (rotary spark gap). The insulating parts of the RSG are made of several different materials. The base is made from a sheet of GP03 which is frequently used on outdoor HV transformers. Many of the support structures, including the RSG rotor, are made of G10. Does any one know what the susceptibility of G10 and GP03 are to UV light as emitted from a spark gap? These materials are about 6" away from the spark gap.
I have been using this RSG for several years now and it has held up well with no problems. While recently inspecting the underside of the base of my TC I noticed that a 4" x 4" section of the PVC secondary coil tube was yellowed because it is in the direct line of sight of the spark gap which is about 12" away. I do know that PVC is highly susceptible to UV light so I plan on shielding that spot with a little bit of aluminum tape. However, this episode got me to wondering about the integrity of the RSG parts which are made of G10 and GP03 which are also in the direct line of sight of the spark gap and are much closer. I can see no apparent discoloration.
Do I need to add some sort of UV shielding to those parts? There's not much that I can do about the G10 rotor since it spins at 3600 RPM and must maintain excellent rigidity and also remain an excellent insulator against 14.4 KV RMS. I also can't use the aluminum tape on the support structures for UV shielding as I did on the PVC tube because they must insulate against 14.4 KV RMS. I do happen to have a lot of teflon tape which is claimed to be UV-resistant so I could possibly use that if needed.
Steve White
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
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