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Re: Steel structure - appropriate ground?

Subject:  Re: Steel structure - appropriate ground?
  Date:   Wed, 30 Apr 1997 20:43:58 -0500
  From:   "Robert W. Stephens" <rwstephens-at-headwaters-dot-com>
    To:   Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>


> 
> 
> My Tesla coil is set up in a school building which has the steel girder
> frame
> very typical of institutional buildings.  Instead of sinking copper
> pipes
> into the ground, couldn't I just attach my ground wire to these steel
> girders?  It seems the same idea to me, but possibly there is some
> aspect of
> this idea I don't see.  I don't want to blow up any computers in the
> building, for instance.
>     Thanks for the wisdom.
> 
>             Aaron Datesman
> 
Aaron,

Every installation is different.  Without knowing the size/power of 
your coil, etc. it is hard to be quite exacting in recommendations.  
My gut feeling if your coil is under ~3-5 kVA and you employ a good AC 
line RFI filter, its ground also connected to the structural steel 
building frame you describe, you will 'probably' be safe.

The worse problem is that any wiring in the walls that isn't in metal 
conduit or wire like telephone lines, will easily pickup impressed 
EMF from a Tesla coil operating in the room that they skirt.  Even 
with a well grounded TC it is these randomly located *antennas* in 
its vicinity which WILL readily pickup  problems and conduct them to 
farther remote locations within your scholarly building.

If you are only running a single neon powered TC under 1 kVA, and have a 
good line filter, I wouldn't worry too much about running your coil 
in an isolated classroom where there are no computers in the same 
room.

If this experiment IS necessary, try it!  If you do, know that it is 
still an experiment, and I cannot be held responsible for any trouble 
that might result.

Note that even though I'm a accomplishment proven advanced coiler I
don't sign
off as DR.EGOCENTRIC.....yet! (consider this line copyrighted, if 
DR.WHO continues to get his/it's/their posts accepted on this List 
then I might start using this equally blatantly stupid title).
rwstephens