Re: Odd/errratic TC behavior. Why?: Gary

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

Original poster: "jpeakall by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <jpeakall-at-mcn-dot-org>

Gary,

The weird thing is that the gap seems to fire well, with either tranny.
Judging from the fierce action of the safety gap when I open the main gap
too far, it seems as if the cap is fine. It tests to .023uf. My primary is
12 turns, but I get a little spark off the secondary with it tuned low. I
tried raising and lowering the coil to change the coupling as well.

>
>A .025uF cap may not be too large for a 15/60 NST.  My 15/60 uses a
>.02uF cap and does just fine with my static gap, and Terry's 15/60
>system uses a .027uF cap with a sync RSG.  I would be more concerned
>with the small number of primary turns you have, as this will increase
>gap losses.  Also, such a small primary will have a very low coupling
>factor, and that will also translate into poor output.
>

Just like it sounds, yellow sparks off one of the tank cap contacts when
tuned really low on the primary. Could be because of the large washers on
it.

>I'm not sure what you mean by "yellow sparks off the top of the tank
>cap".  Your tank cap shouldn't have any sparks on it.
>
Resonace Research Inc. I have tried to get hold of them for more info, but
they don't answer the phone, and I couldn't find a web site.

>What's an "RRI" cap?  Are you sure that your cap is OK?  Your power
>supplies seem more than ample to jump the gap.
>
Odd thing is, the safety ISN'T firing unless I open the main gap too
wide...which isn't consistant with they way tuning a coil has worked for me
in the past.

>Also didn't understand how the larger NST needs a smaller safety gap
>setting.  True, the lower 12kV should have a somewhat smaller safety gap
>setting, but it shouldn't be firing at all.

I want to hook up the 12kv/120ma and the 15kv/60 in paralell. I understand
from what I have read that the voltages should be close enough to be ok, and
that all I have to do is check for the phasing. Is this true? Any other
equipment required to do it safely/properly?

Thanks!

Jonathan Peakall
>>Howdy All,
>
>>I made a vacuum gap like I saw on Gary Lau and Greg's (hotstreamer)
>site.
>>Wow! Easy to make (less than 3 hr.) and works great. Much better
>output!
>>Only trouble is, I was having so much fun, I blew a tank cap.
>>
>>Enter my problem. I have a .025 (actually tests to .023) RRI cap. In
>spite
>>of the fact it is too big for my 15kv/60ma, I hooked it up, and trying
>all
>>primary tap points and gap settings. I got a little, with it tuned to
>1-2
>>primary turns, but that was it. I wasn't really surprised, as that
>tranny
>>shouldn't really run it anyway, but it didn't act like a too big tank
>cap
>>has for me in the past (erratic SG behavior). It was firing fine over a
>>range of SG adjustments, just no secondary output. When I tune the
>primary
>>really low, I get some yellow sparks off the top of the tank cap.
>>
>>So I pulled out my 12kv/120ma that I have for my new system I am
>building. >I
>>was a little concerned, as my coil is small, and I thought I'd have to
>run
>>at low power, as the .025 is close to a res cap for this tranny.
>Anyway, to
>>make a long story short, same deal. I tried gaps from .25 to .05. Nada.
>>What
>>gives? It fires the gap great. One thing I did notice is that
>the12kv/120ma
>>needed a SMALLER setting on the safety gap. Is this sucker just weak?
>It
>>does seem to have more ooomph once it jumps the gap, but won't jump as
>far.
>>In spite of the lesser voltage, I expected it to jump further than the
>>15kv/60.
>>
>>I'm gonna go take a look at info to hook my two NSTs together tonight
>and
>>try it out. I have friends visiting this weekend that wanna see my
>coil!
>>Must..get....coil.....working.
>>
>>Thanks All,
>>
>>Jonathan Peakall
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