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An Alternative to Transformers for driving Tesla coils
From: Alfred A. Skrocki[SMTP:alfred.skrocki-at-cybernetworking-dot-com]
Sent: Saturday, November 08, 1997 10:18 AM
To: Tesla List
Subject: An Alternative to Transformers for driving Tesla coils
For those who are trying to build a Tesla coil but live in an area where
oil burner ignition coils, neon sign transformers, and pole pigs are
outrageously expensive or downright impossiple to get, there is a long
overlooked alternative - namely the "kicker coil" driven Tesla coil. The
idea is that when a large inductance has it's supply voltage cut off
suddenly the collapsing magnetic field develops a high counter E.M.F. which
is then used to drive the Tesla coil. This is also the principle of the
handheld Tesla coils used for vacuum testing and the old "violet-ray"
coils. Below is an ASCII drawing of the layout.
___
(___)
)
)
)
)
) S
)
__________________)
VG ____ _|_ )
| | ___C )P
#( |__|__________)
C #( |
O #( |
I #( |
L #( |
| |
115V
AC or DC
You have an iron core coil connected at one side of it's windings to the
supply line. The other side of the coil connects to a vibrating armature
almost identical to those found on the old induction coils. The stationary
contact of the interrupter is connected to the Tesla coil primary P, the
other side of the primary is connected to the Tesla coil secondary S. the
primary also connects to the moving contact of the interrupter and the
capacitor C is across the vibrating spark gap VG. There should be an
adjusting screw that pushes the moving armature of the vibrating spark gap
closer to or further away from the stationary contact. Instructions for
building several different size Tesla coils driven by a "kicking coil" are
described in Thomas Stanley Curtis's "High Frequency Apparatus" 1916
(reprinted by Lindsay Publications 1988)in chapter VIII "Kicking Coil
Apparatus".
Sincerely
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( -at- -at- )
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Alfred A. Skrocki
Alfred.Skrocki-at-CyberNetworking-dot-com
.ooo0 0ooo.
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