[time-nuts] 4 KV Power Supply Recommendations

[John Miles]

> Since it appears to be making some progress, I'd be tempted to just
> continue. The pump rate of an ion pump varies with the current, so it
> seems you are pumping, just somewhat more slowly than w/ the external
> supply, as long as you are not overloading the internal supply.
>
> If you don't have a lab supply, get an old transformer from some vaccum
> tube gear and use the HV secondary to drive a Cockroft-Walton multiplier
> to get to what you want. Pretty trivial to build these days. Put the
> primary on a Variac to adjust the voltage.
>
> BTW, a commercial supply at that voltage and current is going to cost
> several hundred dollars.

The nicer Glassman rack-mounted supplies are spendy, but smaller HV modules
for PMT and laser work are common and inexpensive.  Go to eBay and search
for "<manufacturer> supply", where common manufacturers include Emco,
Bertan, Spellman, Fluke, and Glassman.  E.g. item 220539685243 .  These
smaller modules tend to sell for well under $100, and are handy to have
around.

-- john, KE5FX