Hi all,
I finally got around to rearranging and using a heavy much longer power
cord and setting up an analog meter on my mains 120 VAC input to shoot
video safely by the camera.
Nothing has changed on the coil setup at all, just mains cords and analog
meter setup to the big old mains line filter before the NST. Coil streamer
performance has not changed.
Total runtime now with Staccato is 23 hours now.
Attached is a link to 2 short videos of it running with and then without
Staccato.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FsAaR1dxSDkhg9D17
Not much noticable difference between the two as can be seen in videos... I
am going to round this out to about 15 Amps.
So next when I get a chance, with just some minor power cord changes, I
will measure mains 120 VAC with a scope current clamp I have. I am
expecting to see some current spikes on running without Staccato. Then
possibly some larger spikes on the Staccato, but overall, I am going to
guess nothing too alarming I will say for right now... reason I am going to
currently say this is because a couple of years ago I took some scope
current mains readings on a Staccato VTTC which was switched at the cathode
of the tube and there was some larger current spikes also, but nothing
alarming to me. Also the VTTC analog meter in the past is similar to what I
have seen on the SGTC.
I took a couple of pictures of the VTTC scope readings back then and I will
compare these to the new ones of the SGTC. Will have to see if I am
guessing right.
Okay... when I get a chance...
Chris Reeland
Ladd Illinois USA
Sent from my Lenovo Tablet
On Mon, Nov 22, 2021, 5:25 AM Chris Reeland <chrisreeland@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I have some more updates here.
>
> First off, I will give some more specifications of this old/new SGTC.
>
> - NST 15 kV / 60 mA , GFCI now recently removed
> - MMC is CDE / 942C20P15K / .150uF / 2 kV set up for a recommend static
> gap LTR capacitance of .0150uF / 60 kV / using 90 CDE 's
> - Dual tungsten .25" dia. spark gaps
> - Spark gaps set at .18" ea. for a total of .36"
> - Secondary is 4" x 34" winding of #22 AWG
> - Secondary form and mount to base is 37"
> - Total height from floor to top of current toroid is 41"
>
> And speaking of current toroid, I mentioned earlier about testing more as
> I have several spun aluminum ones on hand that I have collected over the
> years. I will now list all that I have tried up to current one now.
>
> Started small of course, then larger:
>
> 12" x 3" x 6" Inside Dia.
> 14" x 5" x 4" ID
> 18" x 4.5" x 9" ID
> 20" x 5" x 10" ID
>
> And current one now:
> 24" x 6" x 12" ID
>
> To get this current toroid to work properly, I knew I was going to have to
> add more inductance. With the previous 20" toroid I was practically maxed
> out on the big roller inductor tuned in properly. So I did some rough
> calculations in my head and then mounted on top of the roller at one end
> adding turns of .25" copper tubing, which is stiff enough to be self
> supporting. My rough calculations came out pretty close with just a little
> wiggle room left for minor "day to day" tuning if needed. This can be seen
> in the updated setup pictures of how it is set up for now.
>
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/y7yHnAPCkMtLP7fi7
>
> I do now have a new secondary form on hand for this coil that I received a
> few days ago. But I am not going to do any winding anytime soon. Going to
> have to think awhile on several things. I mentioned previously that the
> days where getting numbered for this fella. Besides the crystal growth
> happening that I mentioned earlier, it is now starting to stress crack in
> several areas even more. When I took this out of storage, there was just a
> couple of cracked areas, now too numerous to count. This old
> varnish/shellac from the early 1980's is "tired" now. I will keep using it
> for now though, getting as much use as possible before it becomes a display
> piece.
>
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/NHkZMqFCmG5Tx1ap8
>
> Getting back to the toroids, I kept getting improved performance which
> each size increase with proper tuning in. So I of course started digging
> out all of my toroids stashed around here...yeah...not all in one
> place...it is tough to be completely organized with all my parts and stuff
> :-\
> So...my coil with proper tuning just kept taking bigger toroids and I just
> kept going until I got to my largest practical one of 24", which for me is
> physically pushing it some in it's looks, but does work great.
> My next larger spun aluminum toroid which is also my largest is completely
> physically impractical at 42" x 10" x 22" ID.
>
> The performance now with the 24" one is much improved, now strikes are
> very common to my garbage can target and my fans get hit even more often.
> And there are occasional strikes to the actual floor now. These floor
> strikes in the arch they go in measure approximately 54" + at times.
>
> Oh... still keeping tabs on run time...now total is 21 hours.
>
> Here is a some video I just took with the 24" toroid, again mainly
> adjusting the PW, studying these changes.
>
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/MxHLoJ3K7VeeaACN8
>
> And here is another video where I have removed the Staccato and running it
> as a normal SGTC with the 24" toroid. I did not do any tuning changes at
> all. It possibly could have used some, but I would say overall not too far
> off. I decided to do this for the possibly interested. Of course for
> several reasons, this is not a real long run.
>
> https://photos.app.goo.gl/THA7NEZBqfqkGs9c6
>
> I also again want to mention that the video does not get all and sounds
> included.
> Getting the video settings as best I can is a pain and getting additional
> light required is a pain too on a crappy old tablet I am using for this
> video. The microphone is overwhelmed too, nothing that I could find to
> possiblity adjust. This is also compounded by my empty basement which
> echoes something horrible. I am too scared to use anything too good to
> shoot video. This old tablet has complained many a time for me now on this
> SGTC.
>
> Also coming when I have time, since I am currently done with big changes,
> which I also mentioned earlier is some mains line current readings I was
> asked about by one person. There will be an analog meter and scope
> measurements coming.
> Readings with Staccato and then without running as normal.
> I will have to change around quite a bit of power cords so I can do this,
> as the analog meter setup is currently too close to the coil to shoot video
> of. And for my digital scope, I again need to change power cords around so
> I can have it a safe distance away from coil.
>
> Okay enough rambling for now...I think I have covered everything
> correctly, I want to say for now.
>
> Chris Reeland
> Ladd Illinois USA
>
> Sent from my Lenovo Tablet
>