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Re: Microwave Transformers / Capacitors



Greetings all,

>Bottom line is that two microwave oven transformers CAN be used to produce
>a quite powerful Tesla coil if you pay close attention to the spark gap,
>capacitor, primary, secondary, and use a toroid on the secondary.

Great I have two microwave transformers and they seem to be easier to
come by over here (UK). And while I'm busy with FET's at the moment
I do want to build a traditional coil sometime.

>To use two transformers you first connect the frames together. This will act
>as a frame-connected center tap. Note that all this means that this
>arrangement is subject to all safety precautions pertinent to high voltage
>transformers with a center tap attached to their case or frame.

I do have one question is it possible to arrange things so that the frame
connected centre taps are both connected to ground, (primaries
connected in anti //.

+/- 2500V
0
0
0
---- GND
0
0
0
-/+ 2500V

The capacitor would be two caps in series centre tapped to ground, the gap and
the primary connected across the capacitors, plus chokes on both sides and
safety gaps to ground on both sides.

This arrangement would avoid raising the frame to 5KV relative to the mains
voltage
primary. But it needs two (lower voltage) capacitors.

>Fr. Thomas McGahee
>(Yep, I am a 50 year old priest that has taught electronics for 30 years. 

Yes, but shouldn't we clergy leave the lightning bolts to our Boss!

Have fun!

Alan Sharp (minister, Church of Scotland)