[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Project Coiler

    [The following text is in the "ISO-8859-1" character set]
    [Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set]
    [Some characters may be displayed incorrectly]

Aha! I see the title got your attention. Good. I have been doing regular
postings over the past week trying to see if I can't be of help to some of
the Tesla List members. I am interested in what each of YOU have done that
has been Successful. So as not to unnecessarily clog up the Tesla List with
responses, if you want, just e-mail it direct to me at
tom_mcgahee-at-sigmais-dot-com 

I would like to get a quick descriptive text from those of you who have
made what you consider Pretty Good (or GREAT or FANTASTIC) Tesla Coils. I
am interested in several different Categories of Tesla Coil. Let's call
them Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. It would be nice, for instance,
to be able to have a single text file that new Coilers could download that
would have a clear explanation of the Basics of Tesla Coil Theory, plus
pointers on Safety and the like, and a nice number of simple Tesla Coil
designs that the Ordinary Person would be able to build without making too
large a dent in their pocket-book. An Intermediate file could include
Bigger and Better Coils that cost a bit more and are more challenging to
build. This could include a more in-depth section on Tesla Coil theory with
a discussion of things like the Neon Case Ground Problem, different kinds
of Spark Gaps, the Construction of Simple Toroids, etc.  The Advanced
section would be for those multi-pole-pig Monsters that we all Drool over.
Even those of us without Big Bucks would be able to read it and DayDream a
little. It would include sections covering some of the problems peculiar to
the Larger Coils. 

I see this as an opportunity for each of us to share something that will be
worthwhile to anyone interested in Coiling. I envision it as an ongoing
Project that would be updated as we gather more information and get reader
feedback. Along the same lines, I ask any of you that have a Specific Item
such as your own Super Modification to the Mickey Mouse Rotary Spark Gap to
e-mail me those things too. We really need to generate some documentation
so that every new person coming in doesn't have to re-invent the wheel.

Send me suggestions for what to include also. If you think that what I am
proposing is a good idea, Please Participate. If you think I'm Stupid and
Naive, you can share that with me, too.

For now I would like to restrict this to NOT include Tesla Magnifying
Coils. So as to minimize the bother that you have to go through to
participate in
this Project Tesla, I would like you to simply provide the following kind
of information:

I will fill in a hypothetical Tesla Coil (NOT A REAL COIL!)...

*** Simply Leave Blank if Unknown ***
Classification: Beginner
Input Power Rating (Watts Consumed): 720 Watts
Maximum Spark Attained: 15 inches
USUAL Spark Length Attained: 10 inches
Type of Collector: Homemade Toroid
Dimensions of Collector: 10" ID, 15" OD
Source of Collector: Homemade
Approximate Cost of Collector: $15 worth of 5" Flexible Heater Duct

Transformer(s): Two Jefferson Neon 12KV -at- 30 ma in parallel for 12KV -at- 60
ma                 Total

Filtering: Two homemade inductors, 120 turns of # 24 AWG Double Formvar
           Wire wrapped around a 2" diameter wooden form. Multi-layer,
           Scramble-wound. Length of each layer is about 3 inches.
           Two Commercial Doorknob caps .001 -at- 30KV Sprague connected
           from Transformer HV Terminal to Earth Ground.

Transformers Floating?: Yes
Transformers Case Grounded?: NO

MAIN Spark Gap across Transformer?: Yes
MAIN Spark Gap on ONE Side Only?: No
Main Spark Gap on BOTH Sides? No
Type of Spark Gap: Richard Quick. 4 gaps each .028" with leaf blower as
fan.
Type of Spark Gap Quenching: Richard Quick Force Air Quenched

Balanced design with Capacitors on Each Side?: Yes
Capacitor on only One Side?: No
Capacitor across Transformer?: No
Describe Capacitor number and type in detail: Two Homemade Roll Oil-filled
     Capacitors. 6mil polystyrene. Two sheets 16" x 20'. Conductor 12" x
20'
     Aluminum flashing 1 mil thick. Mineral Oil.
Capacitor Ratings: Two rated at 20KV and .02 mfd.
Total Effective Capacitor Rating IN CIRCUIT: 40KV at .01 mfd.

Type of Wiring used for AC Line Cord: #12 Stranded. 20 Ft in length.
Type of RF Circuit Wiring used: #10 Solid Copper with 600V insulation.

Primary Coil Type: Flat Archimedes Spiral. 
Primary Coil Material:1/4 inch refrigerator copper tubing.
Primary Coil LENGTH UNROLLED: 89"
Primary Coil Inside Diameter: 7" 
Primary Coil Outside Diameter: 40".
Primary Coil Spacing from center to center of adjacent turns: 1"
Primary Coil Max Number of Turns: 13 
Primary Coil Usual Tap for Normal Operation: 10
Primary Coil Grounding: To Separate RF Earth Ground

Secondary Coil Form Material: PVC Plastic
Secondary Coil Form Height: 3 feet
Secondary Coil Form ID: 2.5 inches
Secondary Coil Form OD: 3 inches
Secondary Coil Form Length Bottom Not Used: 2 inches
Secondary Coil Form Length Top Not Used: 2 inches
Secondary Coil Form Length Actually Wound: 2 feet 8 inches
Secondary Wire Type: Copper Magnet Wire
Secondary Wire Insulation: Double Formvar
Secondary Wire Size: #28
Secondary Close Wound?: Yes
If NOT Close Wound, then Describe: (Blank)
Secondary Number of Turns: 650 approximately
Secondary Wire Length: 6000 inches
Secondary Coatings Under Wire: 4 thin coats of Spar Varnish
Secondary Coatings Over Wire: 6 thin coats of Plasti-Glop made by Company X
Secondary Coil Grounding: Separate RF to Earth Ground
Operating Frequency (or Range): 120Khz - 150Khz

Have you Blown anything? (Describe): A Neon Transformer when I Connected
the case to AC Ground by accident.  

Describe anything else about your system that you think is important:
Without the leaf blower to quench the gaps, Average Spark drops from 10
inches to 6 inches. The Plasti-Glop was awful. It peeled off when the
weather got cold.

Anything You Would Do DIFFERENTLY Now?: Yeah, dump the Plasti-Glop and use
Spar Varnish. I think a larger Toroid would increase the Spark Length. I
have designed a Killer Rotary Spark Gap with NO MOVING PARTS and which can
be made from old Ford carbureters for about 50 cents. I haven't actually
built one yet, but Theoretically it Should Work.

OK, now here is the Snip Out Coupon that you can fill in and e-mail to me.

*******************************
Project Coiler
E-mail: tom_mcgahee-at-sigmais-dot-com 


Name of Participant:
E-Mail Address:
Any Other Info you Think is Useful:

*** Simply Leave Blank if Unknown ***

Modify this form to meet your needs. It is only a Guideline.

Classification: 
Input Power Rating (Watts Consumed):
Maximum Spark Attained: 
USUAL Spark Length Attained: 
Type of Collector: 
Dimensions of Collector: 
Source of Collector: 
Approximate Cost of Collector: 
Transformer(s): 

Filtering (Describe & give Details): 

Transformers Floating?: 
Transformers Case Grounded?: 

MAIN Spark Gap across Transformer?: 
MAIN Spark Gap on ONE Side Only?: 
Main Spark Gap on BOTH Sides? 
Type of Spark Gap: 
Type of Spark Gap Quenching: 

Balanced design with Capacitors on Each Side?: 
Capacitor on only One Side?: 
Capacitor across Transformer?: 
Describe Capacitor number and type in detail: 
Capacitor Ratings: 
Total Effective Capacitor Rating IN CIRCUIT:

Type of Wiring used for AC Line Cord:.
Type of RF Circuit Wiring used:

Primary Coil Type:  
Primary Coil Material:.
Primary Coil LENGTH UNROLLED: 
Primary Coil Inside Diameter:  
Primary Coil Outside Diameter: 
Primary Coil Spacing from center to center of adjacent turns: 
Primary Coil Max Number of Turns: 
Primary Coil Usual Tap for Normal Operation: 
Primary Coil Grounding: 

Secondary Coil Form Material: 
Secondary Coil Form Height: 
Secondary Coil Form ID: 
Secondary Coil Form OD: 
Secondary Coil Form Length Bottom Not Used:
Secondary Coil Form Length Top Not Used:
Secondary Coil Form Length Actually Wound: 
Secondary Wire Type: 
Secondary Wire Insulation: 
Secondary Wire Size: 
Secondary Close Wound?: 
If NOT Close Wound, then Describe: 
Secondary Number of Turns: 
Secondary Wire Length: 
Secondary Coatings Under Wire: 
Secondary Coatings Over Wire: 
Secondary Coil Grounding: 
Operating Frequency (or Range): 

Have you Blown anything? (Describe): 

Describe anything else about your system that you think is important: 

Anything You Would Do DIFFERENTLY Now?:

Thank you for sharing this information.
If all else fails, try something else.
Fr. Thomas McGahee