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WIRE AND COST
Hi Benzion,
>I want to build my first coil. I was thinking of going with a 4" coil.
>I was told to use sold formvar insulated magnet wire. Where can I get this and
>how much will it cost?(cost is an option).
The cost is between $2 and $3 a pound. If you winding is about 18" long, you
will use around 1-1/2 pounds. This wire can be puchased a your local electric
motor repair house. They should stock all size and types. As far as the type
with the extra heavy polyurethane coating (double formvar), they may not have
it. I haven't used the double formvar myself. I have seen no problems (yet).
>Will the arcs from this size coil be impressive?
Yes, but the size of the arc will depend upon many factors, the most imporatant
of which is how many Watts of power you have available from your transformer(s).
There is also capacitor and tank circuit efficiency, secondary efficiency,
ground quality, etc. About a million or so variables. But don't worry about
every little variable. Just build it as efficient as possible, within reason.
>I have in my basement 8 foot long aluminum studs.Can I hammer
>these into the earth(I Believe they're strong enough)and use them for my
>ground?
Yes, they can be used. Just remember that aluminum corrodes quickly when in
contact with moisture. That is why most use copper. The aluminum will get bad
within a year or so.
>If so how many should I use?
At the low power levels, 1 or 2. Space them 8 feet apart, and at least 8 feet
from your house ground.
Most of you out there use copper pipe.
How much does this cost?
I use copper clad ground rods, sold specifically for grounding purposes. These
are found at any place that deals in electrical supplies. They come in 2 sizes;
8' long x 1/2" diameter and 10' long x 5/8" diameter. The 8' ones are around $5
and the 10' ones are around $10. The 8' x 1/2" ones have 3/5 of the surface
area of the 10' x 5/8" ones. Copper pipe is considerably more expensive, as you
get above 1/2" diameters.
Scott Myers