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Discharging Capacitor




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From:  David Sharpe [SMTP:sccr4us-at-erols-dot-com]
Sent:  Saturday, February 07, 1998 7:18 AM
To:  Tesla List
Subject:  Re: Discharging Capacitor

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> ----------
> From:  Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com [SMTP:Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com]
> Sent:  Thursday, February 05, 1998 4:36 PM
> To:  tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject:  Re: Discharging Capacitor
> 
> In a message dated 98-02-04 13:42:44 EST, you write:
> 
> << Hello all:
> 
>  In order to adjust the primary coil after the TC has been running, one
>  would prefer to discharge the capacitor(s) to eliminate the chance of
>  becoming a human wire.  I was wondering how others have accomplished
>  this without damaging anything.
> 
>  I am building a TC for the Physics Dept. here, and I have to add safety
>  measures throughout the TC design in order to prevent any accidents from
>  happening.  You see, the physics instructors will be using the TC for
>  demonstrations on magnetic fields, and who knows what instructors might
>  do.  So I figured I could use a solenoid to throw a contact, which goes
>  through high resistance resistors (I have several hollow ceramic
>  resistors rated at 100000 Ohms at 200W, generously given to me by the
>  Dept.).  I could series the resistors to get a current flow in the order
>  of milliamps, which would work.  But this is just one idea.
> 
>  Oh, I have also seen boxes of old vacuum tubes in the E&M lab at the
>  university, and was wondering what are the most common tubes used in
>  Tesla work? (There's about a hundred different tubes just sitting
>  there.)  I'm sure they would sell them cheap if any are suitable for TC
>  work.
> 
>  Practicing Safe Coiling in Wisconsin
>  Patrick Gustafson >>

Patrick

I am in the process of building a large system (up to 10kVA input)
based on the Tesla Equidrive configuration (series capacitor on
each side of the primary coil).  After being zapped several
times after shut down on the predecessor system, I integrated
into the design a pair of spring loaded aluminum arms mounted on
a 1/2" threaded rod stock, which is rotated using a fiberglas
arm assembly.  The threaded road stock axle is grounded to the RF
ground.  Run the system, shut down and rotate the aluminum
bars into the INPUT busbars across the spark gap, which shorts out
BOTH capactors through the primary coil prior to system adjustment.
Release the handle, the busbars are cleared ready for operation.

It is simple, SAFE, robust, and is SOP on high power RF transmitters
and HV DC equipment (ie. lasers).  Personal safety especially around
high power, HV equipment is a number one priority.

Regards

DAVE SHARPE, TCBOR