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Re: frequency (fwd)
Original Poster: Brent Caldwell <StretchMonster-at-juno-dot-com>
Marius:
Earlier you wrote about whether or not it is okay to skip the spark gap
if you have a current source of the right frequency.
The answer to your question is no. Creating a current source of the
right frequence to resonate with the secondary is the job of the primary
coil and capacitor. The transformer's job is to supply power to the
capacitor. The spark gap performs a special function in the tesla coil
tank circuit.
The secondary coil produces its high voltage whenever the magnetic field
through it changes. The faster the magnetic field changes, the more
voltage. Note, that contrary to popular misconception, a steady magnetic
field through a coil of wire will not induce a voltage. Only a CHANGING
magnetic field through the coil will induce a voltage. The changing
magnetic field is provided by the primary coil. In order for the primary
to produce a rapidly changing magnetic field, it must have a sudden rush
of current through it.
The spark gap's job in all this is to help provide that sudden rush of
current. As the capacitor charges from the AC source, the voltage across
the spark gap increases. Eventually, the voltage across the spark gap is
so much that it arcs. When it arcs, all of the charge on the capacitor
rushes through the primary coil. This rush of current through the
primary coil creates a rush of magnetic field which creates a high
voltage in the secondary as explained above.
Brent.
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