RE: Timing RSGs (was: easy rsgs)

["David Dean" <deano-at-corridor-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

Hi Mark,

Actually that sounds about right. Last night I finished the strobe
modification and tested my SRSG finding that when it was set to optimum
firing point it was about 20 degrees "after top dead center". I run a pig
and a welder for ballast, and it seems that with the welder at the lowest
setting and the secondary open (maximum inductance) it still is wasting a
lot of power in the gap which leads me to believe I still don't have enough
current limiting going on, even for a 48nf cap. I seem to remember Terry
saying something about the optimum firing point with a NST and LTR cap being
in the neighborhood of 30 or so degrees after the peak.
I also have found that there is a difference of about 90 degrees between the
optimum firing point between a purely resistive ballast and a purely
inductive ballast. That would also seem to make sense, would it not?

later
deano

-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2000 1:03 AM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Timing RSGs (was: easy rsgs)


Original poster: "Mark Broker" <broker-at-uwplatt.edu>

> Original poster: "Paul Mathus" <pmathus-at-learningco-dot-com>
>
>      Terry Fritz's Radio Shack strobe light modification works well for
>      timing sync rotary gaps as well.
>
>      http://users.better-dot-org/tfritz/RS-Strobe/RSStrobe.htm
>
>      paul

Paul and list,

When beginning tuning on my coil, I decided to try this option, even though
I really didn't have the $40+.  I ended up with less than desirable
results.  I spent a bit of time aligning the electrodes (NSTs off) using the
modified RS strobe.  When I hooked everything back up and applied the juice,
nothing happened.  I ended up turning the motor about 20deg in order to get
it to fire.  I think that I finally got it working about the best I could
hope for using trial and error.

I am using some PFC caps (maybe 240uF on a 15/90 setup), which I think was
the problem, as I was using the standard wall socket to power the strobe.
What was I doing wrong?

Mark