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Re: First coil! (Beware, NEWBEE!)

Jeremy,

I'll try to pick up some of your points - though I haven't built
this particular circuit.

>This Image:

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    -

Yes thats ground

>Does that mean all the grounds are connected? Even the ground from the
>house? And the negative pole to the ground also? This is the way I would
>interperate it, but I may be wrong.

Yes, use a common ground point, usually a bolt attached to
the metal case housing the electronics. Try to connect all
the grounds using a tree like configuration - avoid any
loops (nasty feedback problems). House electrical ground is fine
for these low power devices.

>I found these plans, and I'm sure you have too at
>ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/sci/electronics/tesla/misc/sstesla.gif , they
>look relatively easy, and I have most the parts allready. (12v supply,
>capacitor, etc.)

Harri's design - yes its fine.

>The required capacitor is a 16V -at- 1800uf. Well... I allready have a
>Sprague Powerlytic 15V -at- 21,000uf capacitor, can I substitute this
>instead? I dont think it should make a difference. (right? And it may
>give it more juice ;)

No I would always use a cap with a voltage rating at least 50% above
what is expected. 1000uf at 25v say. But they also have to be able to
handle the ripple current - you may need 2 caps to handle 5A.

>I have a VERY good 12V power supply rated at 5amps. 

If this is a DC supply then its fine - no need for more diodes. But use a
2A fuse. 

>Ok, big one here. NOW, what type of core does a Solid State coil use?
>Ferite? Air?

This one is based on a TV flyback transformer - a ferrite cored transformer
used to generate very high voltages in a TV set.  You may be able to strip
one off an old TV - the older the better, or talk to a friendly TV repair man -
he'll have junk box full of them. You use the existing secondary - which is
thousands of turns of very fine wire. And wind new primarys using ordinary
plastic covered solid core wire - hook up wire. These can go one on top
of the other.

>And what is the estimated power I would recieve out of such a device? I
>heard from someone 40kv.

Yes the voltage will be 20kV+, the power will be less than 24 watts.
Should give about 0.5" spark. A clear light bulb makes a good
cheap plasma globe.

Have fun,

Alan Sharp (UK)