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Re: HV wiring

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Original Poster: "Kent & Kim Schaffer" <santoken-at-bright-dot-net>
> 
> Hello everyone!
> 
> Just to let everyone know, my step son received first place at his science
> fair and is advancing on to the regional science fair on March 27th.  We'll
> keep you posted.

Congratulations to you and your step son, Kent!!

> 
> Also, what is it that most of you use as HV leads and wiring on your TC's?
> Like the lines runnig from your Xfmr, etc.  On my step son's coil I used 12
> ga stranded, insulated wire fed through vinyl tubing.

This works very well espeically when heavier gauge wire HV wire is
needed. For lower current, PE insulated wire is commonly available in
voltages of 15kV - 40kV, and TV "anode wire" can also be used. Neon sign
shops also carry stranded "GTO" wire that's a bit larger in outside
diameter (about the diameter of automotive spark plug wire), and is
rated at 15,000 volts AC. 
> 
> Another question I have is how do most of you run the wire from the top of
> the secondary to the toroid?  How do you attach it?  Is each case
> different?  The reason I ask, on my step son's coil we used a brass coated
> door knob, the wire ran from the top of the form right to the center of the
> upper cap and attached to the door knob.  The only problem was the corona
> and arcs off of the wire before it got to the knob.  Is this a sign of
> something else?

It's a sign that the top terminal is not providing enough electrostatic
"shielding" to protect the top turns and the interconnecting wire. If
you instead used a larger top terminal (ideally a toroid made from
aluminum flexduct, or from a florist's styrofoam "donut" (for making
wreaths) coated with aluminum foil tape, it would reduce the voltage
stress at the top of the coil. The larger diameter of the toroid should
be at least 2X or 3X the diameter of your coilform to be effective at
sheilding the top of your secondary.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Kent

Check the Tesla Site archives (http://www.velocity-dot-net/~djb/files.shtml)
and check out the file toroid.txt to see how they can be easily and
inexpensively made. A properly sized toroid can also significantly
improve the performance of your coil.

Safe coilin' to you!

-- Bert --