Re: Blowing dimmers in triggers, gap behavior

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Metlicka Marc by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <mystuffs-at-orwell-dot-net>

jonathan,
can you explain your setup or give a pic?
i have logged some serious hours with my gap and haven't blown one yet?
thanks,
marc m.

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "jpeakall by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<jpeakall-at-mcn-dot-org>
> 
> Howdy All,
> 
> Blew my 700 watt dimmer. Same as the last one, small wire inside crisped, no
> other damage. I could fix it. However, when it blows, it seems hard on the
> system i.e.. safeties fire like crazy and so on. A 1000 watt dimmer gets
> pricey, and I bet I can blow one of them too. Any alternatives to the
> dimmer? Even something non-adjustable? Or what about a variac, I have a
> little 4.5amp.
> 
> Initially I was having trouble adjusting the gap so that the trigger could
> start the arcs, but the NST couldn't start arcing unaided. The tolerances
> were very close, and I couldn't get it adjusted to fire reliably. I decided
> that my ordinary IC wasn't arcing far enough, so I went and got a HEIC. Now
> my problem is that the trigger arc jumps my safeties, and initiates an arc
> there. Stopped messing with it, as the cold medicine I was taking was
> making me dopey. I found myself reaching for a hot wire. HV and cold
> medicine don't
> mix!
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Jonathan Peakall
>