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Re: Capacitor Help



Original poster: "Gerry  Reynolds" <gerryreynolds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi Malcolm,

It is a good idea to tune things at lower power levels (a lower variac setting) until you get things tuned. If out of tune, the energy stays in the primary longer and can make the gaps run hotter and louder and heat up your caps more. Out of tune operation at full power can also cause racing arcs on the secondary and damage the coil. Set the main gap closer and run at say 60Vac until you get things in tune. Then you can put the main gap back and go to full power.

Gerry R

Original poster: "MalcolmTesla" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Well while I was waiting around wondering what to do I removed 2" from the
primary so I now have 18" of windings.  It seemed to help some.  However the
safety gap was going off like crazy (intermittently).  We started running it
for 5 to 10 seconds at a time probably for a minute or two with a few
seconds break inbetween and boom a capacitor went.  I think it may have just
arc'd out to the resister across it as they resister was totally annihilated
and all that was left was two terminals where the resister used to be.  I
powered off the unit and touched the other caps and they were about room
temperature.  I'm not even sure I'd call them luke warm.

Oh and this whole time we're only getting about 5 ~ 6" sparks and the tap is
on turn 14 and a half.  If I move it in the sparks go away.  Oh and another
point of interest is the safety gap makes a LOT more noise when it arcs than
the regular spark gap.  Not sure if this is normal or just because I used
tiny thin bolts on brackets for the safety gap and 1/2" bolts for the
regular gap?

Another interesting thing is when the safety gap fires we get stronger,
brighter sparks off the torid as though the regular spark gap is not doing a
very good job.

Thanks
Malcolm in KC