RE: ARGH!!: broken wire +

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: gary350@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 

This is what I have done several times and it works fine.

Use some sand paper to remove the enamel coating on the very tip of 
the wire.  Over lap the wire about 1/8" and sold them together.  Make 
sure there is no sharp points on the wire or solder.  Use a very 
small file to file down the solder right down to the surface of the 
wire if you can.  Make a special effort to make sure the solder 
connection is smooth.  Paint the solder with polyurethane 
varnish.  Continue winding your secondary coil but leave a tiny space 
on both sides of the solder splice.  Move 1 turn of the wire over 
about 1/16" from the close wound section.  Leave a tiny space on each 
side of the splice.  It will make a goofy looking place on your 
secondary but it will work fine.

Check out this pic of my 10" coil.  The coil arced about half way up 
shorting out 3 turns of the secondary coil.  I unwrapped about 7 
turns of wire and solder spliced the wire back together.  It works fine.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/gary350/tc10-4.jpg

Gary Weaver



-----Original Message-----
>From: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Jan 12, 2007 5:10 PM
>To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: RE: ARGH!!: broken wire
>
>Original poster: "Derek" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>Frosty,
>
>"while winding a new secondary, the wire broke about 2/3 of the way up!!
>what's the best thing to do? if I join it is it best to have the end of the
>secondary closest to the join as the base (i.e. closest to the primary) or
>use that end as the top to put the toroid on (it will be about 1.5" above
>the end of the coil..), also what's the best way to join the wire?
>Ouch, I hate it when that happens...."
>
>Last time I broke a wire in the middle of a long wind, I (after a number of
>attempts) soldered a really neat lap joint and carried on winding. After the
>wind was completed I used about 5 coats of varnish over the joint, sanding
>each time to ensure there was not a "live lump " left at the join.
>
>I suspect it is best to leave the joint at the toroid end of the coil, as
>there is usually less electric field there then in close proximity to strike
>rails and primary coils.
>
>http://www.extremeelectronics.co.uk//oltc-2/oltc.htm
>
>The coil is still in use and has been used to create arcs of 42" even though
>the coil is only 22" long.
>
>Cheers
>         Derek
>
>