The primary cause of failure in perf-metal ESL panels is stator-to-stator arcing along the stator edges. And the primary cause of arcing from the stators is the intense corona that forms at any sharp points on the metal, so it's vital that all sharp points are ground smooth. Exceptional care smoothing the stators, and insulating the edges as shown below, will ensure that no arcing can occur.
The stators in my current stat panels (fabricated Sept. 2010) are insulated using the edge tape-wrap arrangement shown below:
The stators in my current stat panels (fabricated Sept. 2010) are insulated using the edge tape-wrap arrangement shown below:
Update:
I now recommend the configuration shown below, exclusively. My friend Steve on the DIY Audio Forum (user name: Bolserst) convinced me that a high-value dielectric tape can actually reflect the corona back onto the stator edge like a mirror, intensifying the corona effect, which could burn thru the paint coating. I am now convinced that the configuration below, with lower dielectric strength foam tape directly against the stator edge and higher dielectric polyester tape over that, containing the corona, would offer the most protection against stator-to-stator shorting.
I now recommend the configuration shown below, exclusively. My friend Steve on the DIY Audio Forum (user name: Bolserst) convinced me that a high-value dielectric tape can actually reflect the corona back onto the stator edge like a mirror, intensifying the corona effect, which could burn thru the paint coating. I am now convinced that the configuration below, with lower dielectric strength foam tape directly against the stator edge and higher dielectric polyester tape over that, containing the corona, would offer the most protection against stator-to-stator shorting.
