[TCML] NST and HV Cables

[Jim Lux]

On 10/21/11 8:42 AM, drieben wrote:
> Haha, Thanks for the clarification, Phil. Yep, that word
> has the same meaning here on this side of the big pond, too.
> BTW, just from the photos on their website, those trans-
> formers look a whole lot like the solid state variety, which
> would red flag their eligibility for SG Tesla coil duty. Even
> here in the USA, the solid state HV power supplies are
> replacing the old style 60 Hz driven, non-GFI'd transformers
> for neon sign duty and the old style iron core units are becom-
> ing increasing difficult to find, although they are still showing up
> on eBay.
>

I think those are conventional core/coil, non electronic.  It's hard to 
tell from the pictures because they don't give dimensions and mass 
(which would make it easy).  I think you're being fooled by the stylish 
Italian packaging and design.  No ugly square functional steel boxes 
full of tar here.  Instead, a sleek package with minimum extra mass 
(reduce that shipping weight, if nothing else).  Having been in Italy 
and seen neon signs with just this kind of package on them (but not been 
close enough to read the labels), I'll bet they're going to pass the 
Tuck test for core/coil vs electronic: they'd hurt if you dropped it on 
your stylishly shod foot. (one should curse volubly in Italian 
immediately after)


I have some Actown NSTs which are probably the same resin, but it's 
resin cast in a steel box.  Probably to make the external form factor 
identical to the box o'tar we are so familiar with.  And you can make 
them on the same 60 year old assembly line by replacing the tar pellet 
hopper with the resin hopper.. I'll bet it's a thermal curing resin, 
too, using the same oven on the assembly line:  instead of melting the 
tar, it cures the resin.