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Re: Carts

In a message dated 95-08-28 14:06:48 EDT, tesla-at-grendel.objinc-dot-com writes:

>Hi Richard and Everyone,
>
>Well I have finally finished rolling my 4 polyethylene caps- I have just
>finished submerging them in mineral oil. It took me ages to make them - if
>they dont work or blow up on the first run I will be heading for the nearest
>bridge :)
>
>I should be ready to run them in a jury rigged setup in about a week or so.

Mark,

I don't know what voltage transformer you are using, but I had both of my
capacitors fail when using them with 12kv neon sign transformers.  Are you
planning to use them in series/parallel?  I would recommend that.  I think
they will work with a good safety margin up to 15 to 18kv when two are used
in series.  You should run them for short periods for a few weeks gradually
increasing the voltage before going to full voltage.

 
>I think that the Tesla circuit that I will run them in will be the one where
>the gap is connected across the High voltage line. This setup is meant to be
>best for preserving caps and neon sign transformers as any kickback will
>hopefully be shorted across the conducting gap. Some people (I think Duane
>Byland is one of them) even reckon with such a setup you do not need a
safety
>gap as the normal gap does the same job here? I guess I will probably still
>use a safety gap just to add a bit of extra protection although it does seem
>to be reduntant here. What do you reckon?

I use the same circuit you are describing - with the gap across the high
voltage line and the capacitor in series with the primary.  I have had my
safety gap fire at least a couple of times and would not personally run
without it.
>
>Unfortunately I cannot leave my Tesla equipment setup so instead of
>reconstructing it every time I want to use it I plan (if the thing works!)
to
>mount a lot of the parts on a movable cart. I was thinking of having the
>capacitors on the top shelf along with the sparkgaps. On the bottom shelf I
>would have the neons, safety gap, bypass capacitors and toroids. The primary
>and secondary would rest on the top of the cart. I would use RG213 to
connect
>mains power to the cart from the variac. Aluminium strike shields would be
>mounted around the cart to protect the caps and neons. Do you think that
such
>a setup would work? - I know most setups that I have heard about seem to
have
>the neons separate from the other equipment. Also would the strike shields
>make the coil lose power due to eddy current losses?
>
>Best Regards,
>Mark

However you set it up, the primary of the Tesla coil, the primary tank
capacitor and the spark gaps must be physically located as close together as
possible and need to be connected with large guage wire or bus bars to
maintain a low Q for the primary circuit.  I just built a similar cart for my
coil.  I plan to mount the coil on top and the capacitor and spark gaps on a
shelf underneath.  I have seen other systems where the transformer is also
mounted on the bottom shelf of the cart. Richard Quick does agree that strike
shields located around the bottom of the cart to protect the capacitor, gaps,
etc. would be a good idea.  The shields should not cause any power loss as
they are located below and not in the main field of the primary.  It would be
a good idea to leave a gap in the shields as you would do for a strike shield
mounted above the top winding of the primary so as to not create a shorted
turn.

Ed Sonderman