Re: Latest magnifier results

To: tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Latest magnifier results
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Mon, 09 Jun 1997 21:50:38 -0500
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net
Subject:      Re: Latest magnifier results
      Date:   Mon, 09 Jun 1997 18:22:01 -0400
      From:   "Edward J. Wingate" <ewing7-at-frontiernet-dot-net>
        To:   Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
References:   1


Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Subject:  Latest magnifier results
>   Date:   Sun, 8 Jun 1997 09:15:37 +0000
>   From:  "Bert Pool" <bertpool-at-flash-dot-net>
>     To:   Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>, jgore-at-onramp-dot-net
>     CC:   bemery-at-why-dot-net
> 
> Wild Bill Emery and I built a new primary for our magnifier Saturday.
> We increased its diameter by a total of four inches which reduced
> coupling to an acceptable degree (nope, we have not yet measured the
> actual value).  This night's run we tested the new FOUR layer
> secondary and a new TWO layer resonator coil.  Did it work?
> 
> We are proud new entrants into the grand order of 10+ foot spark
> makers.  We couldn't be more excited.  Well, ok, if we'd gotten 15
> foot sparks, then we'd have been more excited.
> 
> We found that we could directly replace the 8.44 inch by 24 inch
> single layer resonator with the two layer resonator without retuning
> whatsoever.  The two layer coil does perform better than the single
> layer coil, though not to a dramatic degree.  We might see a bigger
> difference when we move up to larger capacitive top loadings.  We
> are getting constant ground strikes from our toroid, which is
> mounted over seven feet high.  Longest measured strike to ground was
> 10 feet, though we have streamers probably longer than that.  The
> neighbors loved it.  We even had neighbors on other streets load
> up their pickups with their kids and drive by to watch.
> 
> Our variac stcak suffered a very violent demise, complete with
> fireball and acrid smoke.  We crawled into the power cabinet and
> bypassed the variac so we were running directly off the contactors.
> "Variac?  What variac?  We don't need no stinking variac!"  Instant
> on, instant off.  Worked great.  We tripped our 60 amp circuit
> breaker countless times, usually when the output spark hit the
> transmission line and triggered a safety gap firing.
> 
> We experimented with using a piece of 10 inch wide aluminum flashing
> as a transmission line.  I expected horrendous corona off the edges.
> Nope, works very well, we saw no transmission line corona at all.  It
> seems that the same physics which allow flashing to serve as a good
> low impedence ground conductor also allow it to serve as an admirable
> low impedence high voltage transmission line for magnifier work.
> Downside:  it tens to flap a bit in light breezes.
> 
> Next on the agenda: a new 100 amp breaker has to be installed, and
> we'll try moving up on the top load capacitance.  We designed a new
> way of stacking our 36 by 8 inch toroids, so we'll probably next
> attempt two toroids.  We'll also be moving up our tank capacitance
> from 0.015 ufd to 0.03 ufd.  We're gonna leave the variac bypassed
> for now.
> 
> Bert Pool
> bertpool-at-flash-dot-net

Burt and Bill,

Congrats on making the 10' mark. I am sorry to hear of the passing of
your variac but things like this can only happen when doing =real= Tesla
work! It is also heartening to know that you have achieved your goal
using somewhat unconventional methods! I guess sometimes you don't know
if something will work until you try it.

Pedal to the metal with no variac sounds a little scary. Especially with
a system of this size!! YOW!

Keep up the good work guys!
I know you'll keep us posted.

Safe Coiling,   (even with no variac)

Ed Wingate