Series Connected MOT's

[Frosty_47]

If the primary (120V) windings are driven such that they all tie to a single common point, and the secondary windings (HV) are connected in series, you will break down the insulation between the secondary winding and the core laminations of the transformer.

When the transformer was built, it was subjected to what is called a HiPot test, were a high voltage is applied between secondary-primary, secondary-core, primary-core until the insulation breaks down and an arc-over occurs. The spec may be something like 5KV for the secondary to anything else, and 2KV from primary to core.

If you connect the secondaries in-series, the end transformers secondary to core breakdown voltage will be exceed by two or three times what they have ever been tested to. Very likely, you will have a arc-over and a huge hazard.

Even if you cheat and try to mount the cores so that they are electrically floating (instead of being bolted to a metallic chassis), the primaries are still tied to common point, so the arc-over will just move to the primary windings.

Thank you for your help. Your explanaiton is the most clear out of all. I will not be proceeding with this experiment. Looks like my best bet at this point is 15KV NST with 120mA of current or a 14.4Kv Pole Pig transformer (I know where to steal one...No I meant to say where I can get one )

 

[Frosty_47]

12kv @ 5kw??? How many times do you want to kill your self?
If you only want to kill your self 10 times over use a neon sign transformer.
I have seem them at:
6.5kv @ 30mA
7.5kv @ 30mA
9kv @ 30mA
15kv @ 30mA
10kv @ 60mA
12kv @ 30mA

Well I've seen 15KV @ 120mA. But even than, thats only 1800Watts

 

[Sceadwian]

I wouldn't recommend it mike but the theory is sound.
For high voltage resistors often you can just take multiple common resistors and put them in series and toss some insulator around them. You just need to be VERY aware of the voltage that exist and isolation is the key, 12kv under 'common' air condition can arc 12+cm's FREE AIR worse under above normal moisture conditions. And even if that arcing point isn't met within a few CM's of the transformer leads is going to be HUGE electro static fields which do weird thing to insulators.