Need HV connector for Spellman XLF

[Paul W Fontana]

Here's what I came up with. 1/4" o.d. copper tubing for the tip, soldered to conductor of 50kV-insulated wire, inserted through 5/8" o.d. x 1/2" i.d. Delrin tube long enough to stick out of the socket about 3-1/2", tip epoxied to the end with (2) 1/4 sae washers for centering and mechanical support. Then four layers of electrical tape at the front and back ends to make a snug fit in the socket (and a little more epoxy because it wasn't quite as strong as I wanted it). I'm liking this copper-tube-to-banana-plug system so well that I think I will use it for my other HV connections as well - simple, inexpensive, and works great. I already put a banana plug at the other end of this cable.

After testing I regret using the eBay 50kV cable rather than the RG-8. There's no shield, and the insulation crackled with a little corona at voltages above about 35 kV when probed with my grounding stick. I'll wrap some grounded wire around it for safety.

-- pwf