John,
You don't want to use a jacobs ladder but you can use the transformer to
build yourself a good hi-pot tester. There are a couple of good links
to hi-pot testers on the web. You can build one of these for very little
money if you're creative in making up the high voltage caps and
resistors. You want a variable voltage, current limiting and a way to
measure both the voltage and the current.
Take a look at these:
<http://www.realhamradio.com/High_Voltage_Breakdown_Tester.htm>
<http://www.somis.org/BVT.html>
and my variation taking ideas from both here:
<http://amp.w4zt.com/hipot/>
Most folks will tell you that you will probably want to be able to get
at least 10kv to test with. If you've got a transformer that'll do a
jacobs ladder (probably a neon sign transformer like mine) then you can
make a great hi-pot tester.
73, Tony W4ZT
John Irwin wrote:
> I have heard it mentioned many times here about " hi potting " something
> before testing it in equipment etc.
>
> I did a search and found hi pot testers have to to with arcing . and they
> seem to be industrial test equipment. Also that new ones are somewhat above
> my means.
>
> so............ are old used ones available that the adverage experimenter
> can get cheap, like maybe 1946 war surplus?
>
> and do I need one? why can't we use something like a jacobs ladder
> arrangement to test
> stuff for the arc over point.
>
> john kb9tc
<snip>
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