Re: DC powered tesla coil (fwd)

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: DC powered tesla coil (fwd)
From: Tesla List <mod1-at-pupman-dot-com>
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 22:18:05 -0600 (MDT)
Approved: mod1-at-pupman-dot-com


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1998 12:55:23 EDT
From: Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: DC powered tesla coil (fwd)

In a message dated 98-07-21 02:26:13 EDT, you write:

<< 
 Hi all,
 I just joined the list. As a beginner, I have my load of questions to
 ask to you expert coilers (I confess, haven't built a working one yet!).
 
 1. I was wondering about charging the tank cap with DC voltage supplied
 by a neon transformer and a half or full-wave rectifier. This would
 allow charging larger caps with smaller transformer because the spark
 gap wouldn't fire 50 or 60 times per second but less frequently, let's
 say every second. I guess that the peak power delivered to the coil
 shouldn't be much different as it depends, IMO, on the peak voltage
 before the spark gap fires and not how often this occurs. Is that
 correct? Any other parameter unchanged, does the repetition rate of the
 tank cap discharge affect the quality (lenght, brightness, etc) of the
 streamers jumping out the toroid?
 
 2. I happen to have some inductive ballast of the type used with
 fluorescent tubes. Can they have any use in coiling (perhaps as RF
 chokes)?
 
 Thanks to everyone for any opinion. (English is not my native language,
 so please excuse my mistakes).
 
 Ciao
 
 Max Di Tommaso
  >>
Max,

Your English is great, no need to apologize.  Several folks on this list have
built DC powered Tesla coils.  Yes, the rep rate does have a great affect on
the spark length from the coil.  The difference between single shot firing and
say a rep rate of 300 per minute might be two or three times in output spark
length.  I have not built a DC powered coil but notice a great difference
between low speed operation of my rotary spark gap and higher speeds.

I believe you will need some inductance between the DC power supply and the
Tesla tank circuit to prevent the spark gap from shorting out the DC supply.
Others who have built these things can provide more specific information.

Ed Sonderman