neon sign transformer confusion

[Magluvin]

The reason for the CT center tapped ground in the neon transformers is so there is always +4KV or -4KV from each neon light pole/probe to ground. That way if you accidently
touch between eighter probe of the neon bulb and ground you get only a max of 4K volts rather than the whole 8K volts/nothing.  There shouldn't be any reason you can't design
Don Smith RF circuit to be ungrounded/balanced then in the final transformer secondary have it become ground referenced again.

Ah, so maybe the spark gap is too high of a voltage breakdown and thats why he isnt getting spark when the yel wire is used.

Mags

[Tesluh]

the last time I connected to the green wire without spark gap it ruined the output of the nst.  I think it shorted some wires in the transformer.  not an option as far as I can tell for getting this circuit to function. 

[Tesluh]

trying the "tesla coil approach" and found a brand new 60hz steel outdoor nst that has an external gfci (not potted in resin).  Going to do some tests with it and see if it can be used as the power supply.