Re: Good Caps for Tesla Coiling

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>

Hi,

The caps "MUST" be polypropylene.  Polyester has about 10X the loss and 
will burn right up.

They also MUST be metal "foil" not metalized.  All caps will have a 
metalized inner layer which is fine, but the end plates must be thick metal 
foil or the end plates will burn loose.  Look for "foil", "high dV/dT", 
"high pulse current" caps.  Like the ones the Geek group has ;-)

http://thegeekgroup-dot-org/mmc/

The GE42L's are all metal film.  They are pretty tough, but we still see 
problems like this:

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/Pb280016.jpg

Cheers,

         Terry


At 01:47 PM 12/18/2002 -0600, you wrote:
>Hey everyone, I recently found a place around me that sells electronics 
>components.
>Of the following caps, which would be best for a tesla coil. Also, are 
>metallizes polyester suitable for tesla coils?if none of these what are 
>some general guidelines for selecting mmc type caps for tesla coils?  Thanks.
>
><http://www.alliedelec-dot-com>www.alliedelec-dot-com is where these are from
>Mfr.'s Part #: 42L3152
>Allied Stock #: 591-6120
>Manufacturer: GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPACITOR
>Description: CAPACITORS, SNUBBER, METALLIZED POLYPROPYLENE, AXIAL, 5% 
>TOLERANCE, 0.15uF, 2000V
>These were listed as bad at hotstreamer, why?
>Mfr.'s Part #: 940C16P15K
>Allied Stock #: 862-2434
>Manufacturer: CORNELL-DUBILIER
>Description: Capacitor, Polypropylene Film, High dV/dt, 1600Vdc, 0.15uF
>
>Mfr.'s Part #: 715P103516LD3
>Allied Stock #: 926-7184
>Manufacturer: SPRAGUE
>Description: Capacitor, Polypropylene Film, Low Loss, +/-5% tol, .010uF, 
>1600V