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First Tesla Coil hints?




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From:  spcutler-at-ucdavis.edu [SMTP:spcutler-at-ucdavis.edu]
Sent:  Monday, February 23, 1998 10:26 AM
To:  Tesla List
Subject:  First Tesla Coil hints?

>to: Scott
>
>A good idea to "pass" on the doorknob type caps.  They are designed as DC
>storage and filter caps and will usually blow rather quickly with the high
>voltage reversal rates encountered in a Tesla oscillator.  Mica
>transmitting caps work good as well as hi-Q factor, low inductance pulse
>discharge caps. It's time to go surplus house shopping and visiting some of
>the big hamfests in your area.

>DR.RESONANCE-at-next-wave-dot-net

Unfortunately, I don't think there are any hamfests in my area....  actually,
that's probably not true, I just haven't been looking...  In any case, I did 
some calulations and realized I could get the exact capacitance I need in
a low loss, high-Q, durable polyethelyne cap with 3 boxes of Ziploc bags, some 
aluminum foil, a tupperware container and miscellaneous other components.  
I'll let everyone know how it turns out!
I did my first run with the salt water bottle caps, and what-do-you know, I
plug it in, hear a bzzzzzt-crack-hummmmmmmm sound.  The bottle caps blew, 
leaving an oily mess on my baseboard.  I'm sure the poly cap will do better.

Scott Cutler