Re: Puncture voltage

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Puncture voltage
From: Chris Singletary <i541771-at-imsday-dot-com>
Date: Sun, 25 Aug 1996 09:54:30 +0000
> Date:          Sat, 24 Aug 1996 22:42:04 -0600
> From:          Tesla List <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
> To:            Tesla-list-subscribers-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
> Subject:       Re: Puncture voltage
> Reply-to:      tesla-at-pupman-dot-com

> >From rwstephens-at-ptbo.igs-dot-netSat Aug 24 22:02:40 1996
> Date: Sat, 24 Aug 1996 15:25:52 -0500
> From: "Robert W. Stephens" <rwstephens-at-ptbo.igs-dot-net>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: Puncture voltage
> 
> >>From al263636-at-sal.itesm.mx.pupman-dot-comFri Aug 23 22:42:41 1996
> >Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 09:49:29 -0500 (CDT)
> >From: Jorge <al263636-at-sal.itesm.mx.pupman-dot-com>
> >To: Tesla-List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> >Subject: Puncture voltage
> 
> 
> >	Could some one please answer, i know this must be an easy 
> >	question for some of you, but im new at this some and im a 
> >	little nervous turning on the coil and have the cap blow up. 
> 
> 
> >	Thanks
> 
> >	Jorge Fuentes						

> An alternate to a glass plate and aluminum foil cap is one made with 
> beer or wine bottles.  Fill them with a saturated solutuion of water 
> and table, or rock salt to about 2/3rds full.  Place all these 
> bottles in a plastic tub which is itself filled with the same brine 
> solution so as the level in the outer tub, bucket, etc, is the same 
> as the level inside the bottles.  Loop a piece of bare copper wire, 
> (#14 works) into all the bottles making good contact with the 
> saltwater.  This becomes one terminal of your capacitor.  Run a 
> length of the same type bare wire around inside and below the surface 
> of the saltwater in the tub.  This is the other connection.  You can 
> easily change the capacitance of this capacitor by adding, deleting 
> bottles, or by playing with the level in the outer tub.  Once you've 
> got the system tuned, you can pour cooking oil over the surface of 
> the saltwater, both inside the bottles and in the outer bath, just 
> enough to completely cover the surfacwe.  This will keep your water 
> from evaporating, thus detuning your capacitor.  
> If you use 12 ounce common beer bottles, I think I would start with 
> 12 bottles, but this is just a guess as I've not built one.  Anyone 
> out there know the capacitance of a beer bottle?
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> rwstephens
> 
Your idea of using bottles and salt water is a very old one. Usually 
champaine bottles are the ones of choice since the glass is thicker 
and the bottles are larger. The bottom is also thicker than the sides 
which produces a good floating action. However, where are you going 
to get that many champaine bottles?

Chris Singletary
President - Lightning Software
Believe that you CAN accomplish the impossible and you shall.