PFC caps on neons

• To: tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
• Subject: PFC caps on neons
• From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
• Date: Mon, 31 Mar 1997 11:51:43 -0600
• Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

Subject: 
        PFC caps on neons
  Date: 
        Mon, 31 Mar 1997 11:07:49 -0800
  From: 
        Gary Weaver <gweaver-at-earthlink-dot-net>
    To: 
        tesla-at-pupman-dot-com


Power Factor Correction capacitors connected to the primary of a neon
transformer reduces the input amps by 40%.  I have
3 neons connected in parallel.  They are 12K 30 ma each on my Tesla
Coil.  I connected an amp meter to the primary of the
neons and it reads 11.5 amps.   Then I connected one 40 uf capacitor in
parallel with the primary and the amp meter reads 10
amps.  Then I connected another 35 uf cap in parallel with the 40 uf and
the amp meter reads 9 amps.  I connected another 35
uf cap and the amps dropped to 8 amps.  Another 40 uf cap made the amps
drop to 7 amps.  I added another 40 uf and the
amps went up to 7.5 amps.  It looks like 150 uf for 3 neons in parallel
works the best.  The PFC capacitors have no affect on
the TC secondary coil spark output. The rating for 3 neons is 12K 90 ma
= 1080 watts.  The input without PFC caps is 11.5
amps X 120 volts = 1380 watts.  The input with PFC caps is 7 amps X 120
volts = 840 watts.  How can I have 840 watts IN
with PFC and 1080 watts OUT?  The meter must not be giving me a true
reading. 

I connected the 3 neons to my watthour meter.  With out the PFC
capacitors the dial turns from 0 to 40 in 10 seconds.  With
the PFC capacitors the dial turns from 0 to 30 in 10 seconds.  This
shows a decrease in power of 25% using PFC capacitors. 

Gary Weaver          Experement # 7946

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