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Re: Steel structure - appropriate ground?
Subject: Re: Steel structure - appropriate ground?
Date: Fri, 2 May 1997 12:21:16 -0400 (EDT)
From: Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
In a message dated 97-05-01 18:21:36 EDT, you write:
<< My Tesla coil is set up in a school building which has the steel
girder
> frame
> very typical of institutional buildings. Instead of sinking copper
> pipes
> into the ground, couldn't I just attach my ground wire to these steel
> girders? It seems the same idea to me, but possibly there is some
> aspect of
> this idea I don't see. I don't want to blow up any computers in the
> building, for instance.
Aaron steel is a lousy conductor compared to copper! on the outlet
you use to power your coil there is three prongs one for hot another
for return ground and a third round one for safety ground USE IT!
There is a good conducting copper path to an already established good
ground through the safety ground. It is required in all 50 states as
part of the Utility code.
>>
I would not reccommend using the third wire ground of the AC outlet for
a
Tesla coil ground - especially in a commercial building such as a
school.
There should be a good ground at the power box end of the line but it
is
likely to be so far away that the RF from the coil will be broadcast
throughout the building. I would opt for installing a ground rod
outside the
window of the room where the coil is located and run a wire out to it
whenever it is used. If that is not possible, I would definitely try
the
metal frame work of the building.
Ed Sonderman