Re: magnifiers

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: magnifiers
From: Bert Hickman <bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-com>
Date: Wed, 01 Jan 1997 17:22:22 -0800
Subscriber: bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-com Wed Jan 1 21:52:38 1997
Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Subscriber: mwade-at-aros-dot-net Mon Dec 30 15:29:49 1996
> Date: Mon, 30 Dec 1996 00:42:12 -0800
> From: MIKE WADE <mwade-at-aros-dot-net>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: magnifiers
> 
> Gentelmen:
>         I have a two part focus to this communication. Firstly, I currently
> have a TC amazingly similar to Chip's operating, although not producing
> nearly the output compared to his photos. My discharge toroid is larger
> than his however. It has been carefully tuned, but exhibits all the
> classic symptoms of over coupling/ over driven i.e. visible corona
> showing flux fields between pri. and sec. as well as the occaisional
> vertical discharges along the secondary. The breakout from the top turns
> of the secondary are thin violet arcs 2 -3" long, nothing like the
> discharges Chip's photo shows. Also, there has never been a full blown
> spark between the toroid (or from any other place) to anywhere in the
> pri. circuit. Unit is neon trans. driven, static air blast gap. I've
> tried raising the coil up from the pri. a couple of inches with little
> effect. I have noticed no tendency of "splitting". Am I possibly
> perverting discharge or energy storage characteristics with too large a
> toroid, or have I overlooked something else? Any input greatly
> appreciated.


Mike,

What kind of caps are you using? From the symptoms, it sounds like
you're still out of tune (and possibly tuned to a harmonic). What are
your coil's parameters:
 Secondary diameter, winding height, wire gauge:

 Primary inner diameter, number of turns, turn spacing:

 Tank cap type and estimated capacitance value:

 Physical size of the toroid?

With the toroid in place, and at the proper height, you shouldn't be
getting any breakout off the top turns. If you are, reduce the spacing
between the toroid and the top of the coil. Next, place a small nail,
screw, or tack, sharp end up, on the top of the toroid so that you
consistently get breakout. Try different primary tap settings to see
where you get the best performance. You may also need to raise the
secondary relative to the primary to reduce coupling a bit if you're
still seeing flashovers.  

> Secondly, I wish to pursue in depth magnifier theory, construction, etc.
> and therefore look foreward to communication with those of you that have
> expertise in this particular area. As a side line to this, I have read
> some about experiments with coils (magnifiers?) in a bucking
> configuration, apparently leading to observable alterations in linear
> time. Any info. into this area would also be of great interest.

Well... don't believe everything you read, particularly from some of the
non-conventional sites on the web. There's lots of very
scientific-sounding, but meaningless, psuedo-science out there. Chip's
site offers a welcome refuge in this regard! While you'll find at least
a couple of magnifier experts on this list, I don't think you'll find
any that have seen time-altering behavior from their maggies... unless
playing with sparks makes linear time _seem_ to pass more quickly! :^)

> 
> Thanks, and happy new year!
> M.Wade

Safe coiling and Happy New Year to you as well, Mike!

-- Bert --