Re: 3.5Kv high enough?

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: 3.5Kv high enough?
From: Alfred A Skrocki <alfred.skrocki-at-juno-dot-com>
Date: Sat, 23 Nov 1996 22:30:46 EST
Om Sat, 23 Nov 1996 03:45:44 -0600 David Knaack
<dknaack-at-rdtech-dot-com> wrote:

>I have a 3.5Kv 10W electric fence transformer ( 3ma? ) that I was
>thinking of using for a micro-coil, anyone ever tried using a
>power supply in this range?  I set up a static spark gap with it, 
>just to check it out, and it dosn't look like I would have any
>trouble with it.

    Hi David, when I was around 12 years old I built a Tesla coil
that used a plate transformer 3.5Kv -at- 5ma, not significantly
different from your transformer. The secondary was about a foot
long wound with 36 gauge double cotton coated wire the primary was 
about 10 turns of 12 gauge plastic insulated house wire with
insulation sliced on one side for an adjustable tap the spark gap
was 2 - 10 penny copper nails in wood blocks the capacitor was
about 6 inch by 12 inch window pains with kitchen aluminum foil
for the plates added layer after layer until the output peaked
(around 5 plates I remember). I used an iron world globe that was
about 2 inches in diameter for the top terminal. At its best I got 
some nice purple-white discharges about 3 inches long, but also
got some primary to secondary arcing (filed the space between the
primary and secondary with paraffin to stop that), not bad though
for a lousy design! Using todays design techniques you should be
able to easily top it!

			       Sincerely

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			   Alfred A. Skrocki
			alfred.skrocki-at-juno-dot-com
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