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RE: Intro and NST hints



Welcome, Tony !  And thanks for the NST tips !  
How does using one half of the NST affect its current limit ?

Will

> ----------
> From: 	Tesla List[SMTP:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
> Sent: 	Friday, October 30, 1998 00:22
> To: 	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: 	Intro and NST hints
> 
> Original Poster: NeonGlow-at-webtv-dot-net (Tony Greer) 
> 
> Hello coilers everywhere !                                    As a new
> member of the TC Mailing List , thought I would give a brief intro to
> myself .My business is producing high quality neon tubes for signage ,
> lighting , sculpture , and plasma art . My hobby is , of course , Tesla
> coils and other H.V. related stuff . I've been coiling for about 10
> years (on and off) , but have ALWAYS had a fasination with electricity
> and light ,(Strange , how both business and hobby contain those same two
> elements) Most coils to date have have been under 1 KVA , but I'm
> collecting parts for one in the 2.5 KVA range.      I'm sure I'll have
> lots of questions once I start building this coil , but for now , here's
> a hint on finding cheap (if not free) neon transformers and how to use
> them. This applies to 12 & 15 KV , mid-point ground , balanced output
> transformers.(all 12 &15 KV NSTs in U.S.A. that I've seen are of this
> type) The failure mode of a lot of these type NSTs is a shorted or open
> secondary on only one side , which renders them as junk to the sign
> trade. Therefore, most neon sign shops will sell 'bad' NSTs for little
> or nothing. However , very often , the other side of the secondary still
> works fine (-at- 1/2 of rated sec. voltage) , from mid-point ground to the
> good HV terminal. (Caution-as this puts one side of your charging
> circuit at ground potential) Want more voltage ? Find two of these
> 'half-bad' NSTs , preferrably of the same brand   and case style , but
> allways of the same voltage and current ratings. Note and cap off bad HV
> terminals and do not use. Connect the sec. mid-point ground terminals
> together (usually a 1/4 X 20 stud on one end of the case). Connect case
> grounds together and to the grounded (green in U.S.A.) wire to the 120
> volt supply line. Now connect the primaries in paralell and energise. If
> there is no voltage across the good HV terminals, reverse primary
> connections on one transformer only.You should now have a 'good'
> NST(electrically speaking) made from two 'bad' ones. ATVANTAGES:
> cheapness , good low cost approach for beginners , or bringing that new
> coil into tune , without risking burnout of a good NST. DISATVANTAGES:
> twice the size , weight , and power requirements of one NST.
> Happy & safe coiling to all,                                   Tony
> Greer , a.k.a. Special Effects Neon , Lubbock , Texas
>                                        
> 
>