[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: Carrying a Full Load (fwd)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 2 Aug 1998 01:21:50 -0600
From: "D.C. Cox" <DR.RESONANCE-at-next-wave-dot-net>
To: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: Carrying a Full Load (fwd)
to: Dave
The bug zapper xmfr does not carry much current to rapidly charge your
Tesla coil caps. Better us use a surplus neon sign xmfr for this
application.
The flourescent unit is a "ballast transformer" that uses series reactance
to increase the voltage to around 500-600 volts to fire the flourescent
unit (ie, start it) and then drops back to less potential to keep the
current flowing through the ionized plasma.
The stubby red cylinder is usually a high voltage capacitor -- appears to
be rated around 10,000 pF at 18 kiloVolts. Probably a HV diode in series
there somewhere, but sometimes the cheap ones run on AC instead of DC which
works better.
The arc physics is simple -- electrons in the gas are pumped to higher
energy orbitals. When they drop back to their original orbitals they
release photons of light energy -- the frequency of the photons (usually
nitrogen since our atmosphere is 80% N2) is such that light energy is
emitted in the UV portion of the spectrum.
An arc welder runs a lot of current (usually around 100 Amperes) thru the
arc and the UV light has enough energy to do serious eye damage. A simple
climbing arc running off a 60 or 120 ma NST usually will not present
serious UV problems unless you set there and stare at it for hours on end
--- which one could do if the 6 pack begins to overwhelm you.
DR.RESONANCE-at-next-wave-dot-net
----------
> From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Carrying a Full Load (fwd)
> Date: Friday, July 31, 1998 8:24 PM
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Fri, 31 Jul 98 16:35:08 PDT
> From: Dave Lochhaas <lochhaas-at-computerland-dot-net>
> To: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> Subject: Carrying a Full Load
>
> Hi to the List from Mid-Missouri,
>
> I'm brand new and carrying a full load of questions. To be fair, though,
I thought I would provide a few answers to frequently asked questions
first. The answers are: " Yes," "Yes," "Maybe," "Let me get back to you on
that one," and my favorite "You just don't get it do you."
>
> These are my questions:
>
> 1. I have a beefy old bug zapper that's spent the last fifteen years in
the garage in storage so it didn't suffer much when I took it apart. It
has a transformer that will draw about a quarter inch arc across a gap.
Can I build a small Tesla coil with this? I've search all the websites but
can't find any reference this.
>
> 2. The secondary of the above transformer has a red stubby cylindrical
component that is marked with: MDC 10000M Z5R 18KV. What
is this thing?
>
> 3. I've read that spark gap arcs, like arc welding arcs, emit harmful
UV. Does a Jacobs ladder also do this? What is the physics by which UV is
produced in arcs such as these?
>
> 4. I got to examine the fluorescent tube circuitry in this bug zapper
and realized I really don't know how this works. What I've got is an iron
core inductor in one leg of the AC feed that then goes to one pin at one
end of the bulb. The other pin at the same end goes to the starter (a neon
bulb and cap in parallel) and then goes to one pin at the other end of the
bulb. And the other pin at this end goes to the other leg of the AC.
What's with this thing?
>
> Okay, some pretty basic questions, I think. Please don't use any of my
"answers" from above, especially, "You just don't get it do you," as I
already know that.
>
> Thanks for any help. And hey, its Friday night. I've got to get that
bug zapper back together, cause I've got a cold six pack, and its this
evening's entertainment.
>
> Dave "the June bugs are the best" Lochhaas