Breakdown voltage tester. Built it like the plans on AG6K (R. Measures)
webpage.
I'm using a neon sign transformer. Hongba ME-1000-6000-30. 120:5000v.
Running a voltage doubler as shown by Measures.
When running up the voltage slowly with the variac, the output voltage from
the transformer drops out at about 600vac down to zero. If I run the variac
back down to zero primary voltage and then slowly ramp up again, the output
voltage climbs again to around 600vac and drops out again.
The same behavior occurs hooked up to the rectifier/doubler circuit. Except
I measure the dropout at a 1100-1200 vdc.
So what's going on? It's as if there's a self-resetting breaker or limiter
somewhere and all I can guess is in the transformer.
The specs on the transformer indicate that it has "overload protection",
"open-circuit protection", and "earth leakage protection." Am I correct in
guessing that a DVM looks like an open circuit to the transformer and it is
shutting itself off? For that matter, anything you test with a BVT will
have such low current that everything would look like an open circuit. Why
are neon transformers touted as useful for this purpose?
Steve, KK7UV
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