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Re: Counterpoise?
So, in this case my counterpoise would need to have about 50" across
(6x24" coil). I can get it out of strike range eaisly enough.
As for the other purpose for the ground. I realize the danger in that, and
would like to address it somehow. Would a single small rod work? I'm
dealing with frozen ground here so I would like to minimize the problems.
I'll have the utility ground available, but I don't think connecting it to
the RF ground on my coil is a good way to make friends. :) I'll have it
connected to the neons and primary safty gaps.
How about building the counterpoise and connecting it to a water pipe
somewhere? Would that be able to disipate the dangerous currents while
providing a decent RF counterpoise?
On Sun, 6 Dec 1998, Tesla List wrote:
> A counterpoise usually consists of a radial network of wires starting
> from the base of a vertical antenna, and extending out to a radius of at
> least the antenna height. The purpose is to reduce the losses due to
> current flowing in the ground. Where the ground resistance is high
> enough it is common practice to mount these wires on short poles above
> the ground. In the case of a Tesla coil the ground does two things. It
> certainly provides a return for the current which flows through the
> coil, and for that purpose a wire screen of radius equal to the height
> of the coil should do a commendable job. (I guess really it would be
> better to extend it beyone the range of the longest streamers.) The
> second purpose of the ground is safety - to keep any part of the coil
> from having high power line voltage on it if for any reason the power
> transformer inadvertently becomes connected where it shouldn't. A
> counterpoise won't take care of that at all, so some sort of fairly low
> resistance ground is needed to make sure the operator and his friends
> stay alive in case something fails.
>
> Ed
>
>
>