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Oddball Oudin Coil
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From: Alfred A. Skrocki [SMTP:alfred.skrocki-at-cybernetworking-dot-com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 1998 6:49 AM
To: Tesla List
Subject: Re: Oddball Oudin Coil
On Thursday, March 12, 1998 3:21 PM Gregory R. Hunter
[SMTP:ghunter-at-mail.enterprise-dot-net] wrote;
> Coiler Types,
>
> Many years ago, I read an article in an old hardcover book published
> by Scientific American Magazine. The author described building a
> kicker-type coil, which he called an Oudin coil, using a Model-T
> ignition coil. He removed the secondary coil, but left it intact.
> He rewound the iron core with lots of magnet wire, and retained the
> interrupter assembly. This was the "kicker" coil. Next, he
> re-potted the old secondary winding inside a plastic sleeve and wound
> the outside of the sleeve with 5 turns of copper tube. I can't
> remember what he used for a capacitor. With the kicker coil
> interrupter buzzing, the repotted secondary (now air-cored) put out
> about 75KV. Very interesting gadget. He used it to drive a homebrew
> X-Ray tube. I wonder why the multi-layer secondary coil didn't flash
> over to itself? If this physics hacker is still alive, he should
> join this list--he'd fit right in.
Hi Greg, sorry for getting in on this rather late but I've been occupied
over the last several days dealing with my migraines. I noticed several
people responded to your post with partially correct answers. I will try
and clarify, the "kicker coil" is just an inductance and works on the
principle that the counter E.M.F. developed across an inductance is
proportional to the rapidity with which the current is broken.
di
E = ---- E = voltage, i = current and t = time
dt
The kicker coil is just the source of high voltage like a neon sign
transformer is used today. The vibrator of the kicker coil serves a dual
function of breaking the current to the inductor and acting as a spark gap
for the Tesla coil. The Tesla coil is comprised of the re-potted secondary
winding along with the 5 turns of copper tubing. If the coil was called an
Oudin coil then it was wired like an auto transformer, even though Tesla
used this configuration also it is called an Oudin coil in some circles. I
personally am rather impressed with the idea of using "kicker coils" to
power Tesla coils and have mentioned them several times on this list.
I think "kicker coils are viable alternatives to oil burner ignition coils,
neon sign transformers, and pole pigs, especially in areas where the normal
sources of high voltage are either prohibitively expensive or down right
impossible to get. With the neon sign transformer being rapidly replaced by
low current solid state supplies, kicker coils may be the only alternative
for low to medium powered Tesla coils in the near future. For your
edification below is an ASCII drawing and a description of the operating
principle of a handheld Tesla coil used for vacuum testing (identical to
the old "violet-ray" coils) utilizing a "kicker coil" as the high voltage
supply. BTW the arrangement of the primary and secondary is that which is
usual referred to as an Oudin coil.
___
(___)
)
)
)
)
) S
)
__________________)
VG ____ _|_ )
| | ___C )P
#( |__|__________)
C #( |
O #( |
I #( |
L #( |
| |
115V
AC or DC
You have an iron core coil connected at one side of it's windings to
the line. The other side of the coil connects to a vibrating armature
almost identical to those found on the old induction coils. The
stationary contact of the interrupter is connected to the Tesla coil
primary P, the other side of the primary is connected to the Tesla
coil secondary S. the primary also connects to the moving contact of
the interrupter and the capacitor C is across the vibrating spark gap
VG. There should be an adjusting screw that pushes the moving
armature of the vibrating spark gap closer to or further away from
the stationary contact. Instructions for building several different
size Tesla coils driven by "kicking coils" are described in
Thomas Stanley Curtis's "High Frequency Apparatus" 1916
(reprinted by Lindsay Publications 1988)in chapter VIII
"Kicking Coil Apparatus".
Sincerely
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( -at- -at- )
-----o00o-(_)-o00o-----
Alfred A. Skrocki
Alfred.Skrocki.Sr-at-JUNO-dot-com
alfred.skrocki-at-cybernetworking-dot-com
Visit my Do-It-Yourself Aquarium WEB page at;
http://www.geocities-dot-com/CapeCanaveral/6251
.ooo0 0ooo.
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