New Zealand Vintage Computer Forums

This doesn't exactly fit into the existing wanted thread, so I thought I'd post here. Feel free to move this thread if you think it should be elsewhere, Tezza.

I've been looking around for a few months for a proper NST. I might have more of a chance here than just watching trademe.

Preferably 10kv 10mA at the least. I'm building a cathode ray tube, and I'm doing everything from the ground up. Home made vacuum pump, tube, ect. I was planning to put a variac on the mains side of the NST. I only need 2 to 5kv and 5mA, but the extra might be nice.

Anyone got a NST sitting around that they'd be willing to part with?

Not exactly the average bear! I have one attached to my awesome neon Beck's sign, no you can't have it

Did the NST come with the sign, or did you get it separately somewhere? If so, where might I be able to find that place?

Yeah it was an assembled unit.

But I'd recommend looking at places that offer signage, some people still dig neons and so the products are generally still available.

I've done a fair bit of looking, and the only ones I can find are switchmode. I'm looking for one with a massive transformer in it. The old style.

Unless I can put the switchmode NST on a variac, then it'd be fine, but I don't think I can and have it running on 80c or something and still work properly.

This stuck in my memory, and a search on "neon" found it...

I'm offering on TradeMe, a Spectronics PC-2200 Eprom Eraser.
It has two very nice, appear to be potted, 5kV transformers inside it.
https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listin ... 1224405466

This afternoon I took of the covers to photograph & measure their dimensions, see the updated description.

Insanely low price compared to the USD list price in the first link, but it's an oddball object & I'm badly behind on bills...

I could put a Buy Now of ~ $100 if interested.

Hmm. It's rated at 2A, 220V. Maybe that's not enough current at 5kV?

Actually 440VA at 5000V might be enough, 11mA if I have the maths right?

But I hadn't realised this:
http://iaeimagazine.org/magazine/2000/0 ... nsformers/

Although similar caveats may apply for mercur vapour lamps, I haven't looked in to that yet.

Thanks for replying to such an old post of mine! I managed to build a ~15kV power supply myself. But thank you anyway.