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Rolled cap plate connections
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From: Gary Lau 27-Jun-1998 1744 [SMTP:lau-at-hdecad.ENET.dec-dot-com]
Sent: Saturday, June 27, 1998 5:11 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Rolled cap plate connections
Chip,
Your description sounds like it will produce a nice even roll with leads
where you want them to be. I agree that construction with both leads
exiting from the top has advantages. I'd be concerned though with
relying only upon the compression of the roll to connect the leads to the
plates. The aluminum plate will have a layer of aluminum oxide on it and
soaking in oil doesn't help. The same outrageous currents that travel
through the primary tap connection and heat up any but the most solid
joint will also be flowing through the lead-to-plate junctions. My guess
is the joints will heat up, arc, and toast your poly before the first
wisp of smoke rises. I hope you prove otherwise, as it will be a great
cap if the joints prove solid.
Regards, Gary
>Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 22:02:05 -0600 (MDT)
>From: Chip Atkinson <chip-at-bolix-dot-com>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Re: Rolled cap plate connections
>
>Gary,
>
>I've done some construction experiments along just these lines. I
>haven't yet had the time to fill them and test them out, but I'm sure
>they'll work :-)
>
>There are two issues that must be dealt with. The first is what you
>mentioned, a smooth way to fasten the leads to the plates, and the second
>is that you need to have these leads aligned such that all the leads from
>one plate are on one side (not end) of the roll, and the leads from the
>other plate are on the opposite side of the roll.
>
>I chose to not have the leads from each plate go to opposite ends because
>of problems sealing the lead while allowing access for construction, and
>also because vertical cylinders are easier to store and use than horizontal.
>
>Here is how I solved both problems. I suppose if I had a spotwelder, it
>would have helped. Soldering aluminum that thin is too dificult for me,
>so I used copper tape. I don't have any mechanical attachment such as
>welding or screws, so there is some risk, but my hope is that by rolling
>the roll very tightly the pressure and tape will combine to make the
>connection reliable. For the leads, I used strips of the same flashing
>that makes up the plates. One thing that you should do is anneal the
>flashing strips to make them easier to bend, which you will have to do as
>you assemble and connect them to the output terminal.
>
>The next problem is alignment. It is necessary to align the strips so
>that they don't cross and thus present a high risk of shorting. To do
>this, assemble the sandwich of plates and plastic without the leads
>attached. Put the inside end of the sandwich into a piece of heavy PVC
>pipe with a slot cut in it at an angle to reduce the bending of the
>sandwich end. The PVC pipe is about 1.5" od, and about 20" long or so
>(long enough to provide good handles to grab onto on each end). Attach
>hose clamps or some other method of clamping the end inside the PVC pipe
>and turn the pipe so that the cap is wound up. (I used a lathe because I
>have one) Once the bundle is tight, bind it up in a temporary manner so
>that you don't have to keep holding the thing. Now use a magic marker to
>marke a radial band where the leads go. Use another colored marker to
>mark another radial band opposite the first. For the first few times,
>unwind the bundle almost entirely and rewind it. Double check that the
>colored bands line up. Once you can wind the bundle up and align the
>bands, you are ready to attach the leads. The leads are attached in
>the position on the flashing that is shown by the band on the insulation.
>Stop winding when the leads line up.
>
>I will have pictures of this process on my web site soon.
>
>Chip
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