Re: coil losses

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: coil losses
From: "Malcolm Watts" <malcolm.watts-at-wnp.ac.nz> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Sun, 13 Jun 1999 18:24:08 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Hi Terry,
          Great post:
          
> Original Poster: Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>
> 
> Hi All,
> 
>     Here is a list of the losses in a Tesla coil I had laying around.  I
> forget the details but the numbers should be fairly typical.  I think this
> is an LTR design...
> 
> Primary Neon Windings = 29 watts
> Secondary Neon Windings = 21 watts
> Filter Resistors = 92 watts
> Primary Circuit Loss = 490 watts
> Secondary Circuit Loss = 17 watts
> Power to Arc = 127 watts
> Total = 776 watts
> 
> Note that almost half the coil's energy is being burned up in the gap.
> Capacitor losses and primary coil losses are comparatively low so the gap
> is eating power like mad...
> 
>     Terry

I realized this early on by considering the noise, light and heat in 
the gap. BTW, a gap that is loud compared to the secondary discharge
means something can be done to considerably improve output at the 
same power level.

Regards,
Malcolm