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Re: help with a different type of coil
From: Micheal Huff[SMTP:msnock-at-theonramp-dot-net]
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 1997 12:11 AM
To: Tesla List
Subject: Re: help with a different type of coil
Tesla List wrote:
>
> From: Kevin[SMTP:wawa-at-spectra-dot-net]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 1997 8:34 PM
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: help with a different type of coil
>
> Right now, I'm trying to build a tesla coil, the thing is, it isn't like
> any of the ones (as far as I can tell) that are discussed about in this
> group or are frequently seen on the web. We used one in my Physics
> class and my teacher said it was a tesla coil, but I didn't recognize it
> as one. Well, it is rather old, but I will describe it. It has an
> electromagnetic switch, that once it opens, it breaks its own circuit
> (the power to the magnet) and thus closes again and this cycle repeats
> very fast. The switch also breaks the current of a separate circuit
> consisting of a power supply, a coil, and a spark gap. My teacher said
> that breaking the circuit in the coil generates high voldages and the
> sparks to jump the gap. The coil he used was powered by a low
> voltage/current dc power supply. The coil is iron core, my teacher said
> it is better for inductance. I'm not to clear on the inductance stuff.
>
> I have a relay that I wired so it "chatters" to produce the rapid
> switching. On the therminals I hooked up the coil, the power, and the
> spark gap. Well, i don't get any sparks. My coil is iron core, about
> 4-5 inches long, about 1 inch diameter, and has about 400 ft of wire on
> it. I've tried hooking things up many different ways with no luck. I'd
> appreciate any tips or pointers anyone has to offer. I'm reluctant to
> redo the coil right now, because it was a pain to make. If ther is
> something else that is wrong I'd like to find it before I ruin my coil.
> If it is the coil, then what do I have to do to make it better. If
> anyone can help out and reply to this, I'd prefer an e-mail at
> wawa-at-spectra-dot-net
Kevin,
What you just described is not a Tesla coil. A Tesla coil is an
air-core resonant transformer. You are talking about a simple induction
coil. In other words a big ignition coil. If this is what you want to
build then round up a couple ignition coils and build the circuit on my
page. There is also another possibility, a relative to the Tesla coil
is the Oudin coil. It uses low voltage 120-240VAC to charge a capacitor
and it has electromagnetic breaker points that act as a sparkgap would
on a Tesla coil. When the points are closed the capacitor is discharged
into the primary of the Oudin coil and an LC circuit is formed. The
secondary is resonant at the same frequency as the primary is
producing. This is very similar to a Tesla coil.
Mike
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