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WIRE CHART




Hello, Y'all,

I'm new to SERIOUS coiling but have been an electrical engineer for
about 20 years, with a few years designing high voltage power supplies.
I'm really intrigued with what I've seen you guys doing, and much of
it is new to me (I'm used to smaller stuff, smallest being tiny 4kV
supplies for night vision goggles, and largest being 35kV at 2A for TV
transmitters and RF heat sealing machines) This Tesla coil stuff is
really interesting as it is more Physics than Electronics, and most
of us don't have the resources to solve a problem with kilobucks.
Ingenuity and time has to take the place of cash. Please excuse me
for my ignorance, and my long list of questions.
 
I've got a LARGE roll of #22 formvar coated wire I bought surplus from
a company I used to work for. The only drawback is that it was from
the Vietnam War era when copper was expensive and this wire is copper
coated ALUMINUM. (it was intended for TV yokes) I haven't measured the
insulation thickness yet, but I've been wondering if there could
possibly be some drawbacks to using this for a secondary coil (it does
solder nicely, though)

I've read that the insulation breakdown voltage of wire can be increased
by coating the wire with paraffin wax, does anyone have any information
on how to do this to a lot of wire, and if it is worthwhile?

How would I initially calculate the distance for a safety gap? ( I suppose
that I could measure the breakdown with an o'scope and vacuum cap divider,
but I'd like to get it close to begin with, without frying my transformer!)

Roughly, ( I certainly won't hold anyone accountable if it goes up in
smoke!) how much could I overcurrent an OLD well made 15 Amp variac
before it becomes a fused lump of copper and iron? I don't know the make
or model, but it is well made and has a lot of iron and a #14 copper
winding.

Is there any advantage to using a flat disk instead of a toroid for
capacity, with the intent of making lots of sparks and keeping the
secondary resonant frequency down?

Would there be any advantage of using a honeycomb wound copper tubing
primary over a flat or saucer shape? (other than it would look purdy :)
Why is a flat or saucer shape primary used (as I've seen in the posted
photos) over a solenoid winding? 

Thanks for your help,

Brad Alheim  N1TLK brad.alheim-at-the-spa-dot-com

 
... ...From beautiful Chicopee, People's Republic of Taxachusetts, U.S.A.
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12