Re: Xenon Short Arc Igniter Help? (fwd)

["High Voltage list" <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: <sroys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005 12:04:35 -0700
From: robert heidlebaugh <rheidlebaugh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Xenon Short Arc Igniter Help?

Charles:NO ...The trigger is not in series. The trigger may be an isolated
circuit or parallel. The main power supply may be a low voltage with high
current. The voltage may be to low to ionize the gas and usualy is. That
voltage can be from 20 to 500 volts but with a capacitor to provide the
current. The trigger is usualy of high voltage to start ionization, but of
very low current usualy only a few Milliamps through a high impedance
resistance or coil like the resistor built into a spark plug. When the
circuit fires the voltage drops to zerow preventing a power arc. Even carbon
wires can be used. The trigger may be a sharp wire inside the flash lamp or
a contact wire on the outside of the flash lamp requiring very high voltage
to ionize the gas through the glass wall usualy around 30 Kv. In multi
element flash lamps there may be up to 9 triggers to ionize the gass in
stages to make a longer flash duration. In WWII the flash lamps used 450V
one faraid capacitors to supply the current. A man at Mc Clellan AFB in
California short circuited one with a wrench and vaporized the wrench and
lower portion of his arm. The main power supply has high current. The
trigger has low current of only 3 to 6 ma.
     I hope this helps
   Robert   H
      
-- 


> From: "High Voltage list" <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 19:53:10 -0700 (MST)
> To: hvlist <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: Xenon Short Arc Igniter Help? (fwd)
> Resent-From: hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx
> Resent-Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2005 19:53:11 -0700 (MST)
> 
> Original poster: <sroys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> 
> 
> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 22:04:11 -0500
> From: Charles Brush <cfbrush@xxxxxxx>
> To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: Xenon Short Arc Igniter Help? (fwd)
> 
>> Original poster: <sroys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>> Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 07:38:35 -0700
>> From: robert heidlebaugh <rheidlebaugh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
>> Subject: Re: Xenon Short Arc Igniter Help?
>> 
>> Power to your flash assembly is supplied by your power supply not the
>> trigger circuit. If you nead a 30 Kv trigger you use an auto ignition coil.
>> No flash assembly uses a 40 amp continous trigger. Main flash power can be
>> that high, but not the trigger. Even military sequencial flash assemblies
>> don't use 40 amp triggers.
>> Robert    H
> 
> 
> 
> Understood, but with series triggers the secondary of the trigger
> transformer is in series with the main power supply isn't it?  I'm
> just not sure how that is done without an enormous coil.   I've got
> to dig through the patent office site some more for schematics.
> 
> Charles
> 
> 
>