A few Q's

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jim-at-jlproduction-dot-com>

Hi all,
As I approach the finish line on my first coil, I have a few questions
and afterward a comment.

1) What is "Q"?
I keep seeing references to this mystery anacronym, and have never seen
it defined. For example This metal has a high "Q" or that capacitor has
a low "Q". Could someone define this please?

2)What is "SKIN EFFECT"?
I had always thought that this was a commonly misused term referring to
the idea that high frequency voltage passes along the outside of skin
therefore making it a safe type of current. I know that this is at least
partly not true and dead you will be if you happen to ground out back to
the primary or wall outlet via your skin effect current. Recently I
heard this term used about aluminum vs steel and it was tossed in that
aluminum was a better choice as it has less "skin effect" Could anyone
clarify this term?

3)Is a fluorescent bulb safe to hang on to near a coil?
In a recent query about tuning a coil I was told that at low power(via
my Variac) a bulb held near the toroid would help indicate proper tune
with it's brightness(or lack thereof). Good idea or nay? Using the
software Tesla CAD I determined that tune would be between #10 and 11
turn so I put my clip at 10 1/2 turns. How close will this be and can I
just "wing it" from there, or is the bulb a more accurate indicator? Is
the latter even safe to try?

I would like to say at this point in my project that I have a tremendous
amount of time and energy into this. When I started this project several
years ago I never dreamed it would be so intensive. It has been however
one of the more compelling things I have ever attempted and without all
of you (and coilers elsewhere) I never would have made it this far. I am
certainly not at your level of electrical or theoretical expertise, and
often I am just plain lost by some of your discussions, but it has sure
been a fun trip anyway. Here's to big sparks and arks in the near future
(like this weekend)!! Thanks to all,
Jim L 
http://www.jlproduction-dot-com/Tesla.html


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