Re: primary coil wire

• To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: primary coil wire
• From: Jim Lux <jimlux-at-jpl.nasa.gov> (by way of Terry Fritz <terryf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
• Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 17:33:55 -0700
• Approved: terryf-at-verinet-dot-com

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Original Poster: "chris morgan" <crmorgan-at-hotmail-dot-com>
> 
> Everybody uses copper tubing for there pirmary coil cause its got more
> surface area, right?  Why don't you just twist 3 strand #12 house wire
> together.  That will have more suface area and be cheaper also. So if
> your pinchin penies or strivin for that extra watt, this sounds like the
> way to go.  Someone who's actualy built a tesla coil should try this and
> post how it works out.

Copper tubing is used because its radius of curvature is greater,
reducing the corona discharge or inter-turn arc potential. And, of
course, tubing is a lot cheaper than a solid conductor of the same OD
(less copper, etc.)

Surface area, in the reduction of RF resistance sense, is kind of a
tricky thing. However, it is done, using multiple *insulated* strands
braided (or twisted) together. It is called Litzendraht wire (or Litz
wire for short). 
-- 
Jim Lux                               Jet Propulsion Laboratory
ofc: 818/354-2075     114-B16         Mail Stop 161-213
lab: 818/354-2954     161-110         4800 Oak Grove Drive
fax: 818/393-6875                     Pasadena CA 91109

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