Quack Medical Tesla Coil

To: tesla-at-grendel.objinc-dot-com
Subject: Quack Medical Tesla Coil
From: rmp-at-sunman.mlb.semi.harris-dot-com (Russ Pate)
Date: Fri, 6 May 94 11:32:43 EDT
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Cc: rmp-at-sunman.mlb.semi.harris-dot-com


Good Morning Gentlemen,

I was referred to you by a Mr. Mark Napier who said that
you may be able to help me.

I am trying to repair an old Quack Medical device that 
has a tesla coil in it.  The foil and glass capacitor bank
inside is shorted and is heavily embedded into the case.
I can't get it out without damaging both it and the case.

The tesla coil comes alive for a few seconds when I put low
breakdown capacitors in, (until they explode), and so I
now need to find some more modern capacitors to use instead.

I have heard that the old HV television "doorknob" capacitors
might work.  Any help or source would be appreciated.

I really need to get this working.  This device has a gas filled tube
on the end of a wire that glows when working.

Also, the wire has decayed.  It was a rubber HV wire inside of
a cloth covering.  Any Ideas on this?  I have some line cord
that is cloth covered but I think 10s of KVs will probably be
dangerous.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

By the way, I specialize in old telephones and I do find
quack medical stuff like this fairly often.


Russ Pate
rmp-at-mlb.semi.harris-dot-com