Re: Saftey -Transformer type not the issue

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Saftey -Transformer type not the issue
From: Cabbott Sanders <cabbott-at-cyberis-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <terryf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 02:28:04 -0600
Approved: terryf-at-verinet-dot-com

Tesla List wrote:

> Original Poster: Marcus Young <MEYoung-at-uq-dot-net.au>
>
> Hi Maniacs! ;)
>
> I dont think the issue of NST vs PIG vs MOT danger is really the issue
> in TC or TM(magnifier) systems. Only how much energy the cap can store in
> its full capacity, and how fast it can discharge that energy can give any
> real
> guidelines to saftey.

I would like to intergect here.  In tesla coil systems, pigs and nst's ARE the
issue. here's why:  NST's and pigs are AC, not DC.  this principal requires
coilers to work around it somehow.  if all the NST's were DC, we would all be
in heaven charging up the biggest caps we could make. However, that is not the
case since you have to charge the capacitor to full value in each phase of the
AC waveform. My 15 kva pig  can charge my .161 maxwell cap to full power in
1/60th of a second.  therefor, the larger the NST or PIG, the more danger
involved because there is just physically MORE  power (more to "expode" you
with) with the combination of pig/cap.  a 60 mA pig has only enough juice to
charge a .01 ufd cap fully in one half of its cycle.  the cap is THEN charged
fully in reversed polarity on the second half of the cycle.  thats one reason
why conventional tesla coils cannot build up oscellations continuously. it
cancels itself out every 1/60th of a second!  this is rather a bummer.  i wish
DC power supplies were easier to come by with the voltage and current of a NST

Cabbott

> As I said in a previous post and would like to say
> again
> "a very small cap or multiplier network can charge a very big cap!".
> I can't imagine physical damage from a pig or a NST shock would be so
> different
> if it was a momentary shock. Seeining as the cap is connected to the
> outputs of
> the tranny, you could get a pretty nasty pulse of high current juice  from
> even
> moderate systems.
>
> M
>
> Thats one reason why some ppl store big HV caps with a shorting lead bolted
> across the bushes. I wonder whats the biggest cap you could charge from a
> TV fllyback transformer??