New coil not working

To: tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
Subject: New coil not working
From: "George W. Ensley Jr." <erc-at-coastalnet-dot-com>
Date: Fri, 29 Nov 1996 22:23:18 -0400

It worked!

For about 15 seconds my new coil, my first, did what i expected. It produces
branching arcs about 12 inches in length and looked as if some tuning and
bigger caps would do the trick. Then it sputtered to a stop with only the 5
static gaps showing any action at all.

Here are the specs.

20a variac

12kv 120ma neon
15 turn choke 2ea on ferrite cores

series/parallel cap .002uf
24 ibc root beer bottles ( ? brown glass)

5 static gaps .021in

13.5in 30deg spiral primary 11 turns
4.25in inner dia. 13.5in outer dia, 1/4in spacings

3.125in dia. 1062 turn 24in 24awg secondary

I was taped in at the 11th turn and made it only to 3/4 power on the variac
before problems appeared. I feel like i punched a bunch of holes in the caps
and they are already history but my vom says they are ok.

any ideas?

I have since replaced the brown glass salt water caps with clear glass and
have had no better results. my attention is now turning to the gaps. they
are 5 1/4-20 bolts with cap nuts serving as the electrodes. i do see carbon
deposits and am wondering if this is the problem

.
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GEORGE W. ENSLEY
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