[SwizzyMan]

Originally Posted by miniman82

I think you can get it lower, but I also think it doesn't matter much on a 5. The flyback primary just doesn't have a low enough DC resistance to make much power (or heat), which is also the same reason it will never draw enough current to make decent HV at the secondary. Run it for a good half hour, then power down and check flyback temp with your hand after HV discharge. My guess, it won't even be warm to the touch. I did everything I could to mine trying to push more out of it: installed a drive control and cranked it to max, installed a HV pot and cranked it to max, put in the strongest testing 5U4 and 3A3 rectifiers I could find, nothing helped at all. Since you can't change the primary resistance in the flyback, the only other thing likely to help is increasing voltage to the circuit. You might try using silicon rectifiers in place of the 5U4's, but I still don't think it would make much difference. The 5 just is what it is, and we have to deal with it.

Got it down to 200ma by decreasing the line voltage by 2 volts to 113 or so. Still pushing about 21.45 Kv nice and bright. I think it is ready for service.