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Re: So where is WinTesla
At 12:03 PM 5/5/1999 -0600, you wrote:
>Original Poster: Brent L Caldwell <stretchmonster-at-juno-dot-com>
>
>
>
>All Coilers:
>
> Okay, Okay, I have graduated Tesla-Coil-Kindergarten and am now ready
>for Tesla-Coil-First-Grade. Where do I get access to download programs
>like WinTesla?!
>
> Right now I have an almost functioning TC. It is my second. It had a
>temporary cut in funding for it, but this summer when I'm not taking
>classes, I will probably give it a shot. Everything about it works
>except it is out of tune. I have tried tuning it, but it just won't seem
>to go. I think that either I don't have enough turns, or my coupling is
>too tight. Anyway, I'm hoping a program will give me the hint or two
>that I need to get sparks.
If you give us your specs, i.e transformer size, cap size,
secondary diameter, #of turns of primary and secondary, we might be able to
help you.
As far as gaps go, Terry Fritz's variation on the Richard Quick cu pipe
cap is
very reliable-- if you search the list archives at www.pupman-dot-com
from the last year you might find
useful construction tips. You will find an archive of pictures under the
names of the various
coilers on the list-- click on Terry's folder and there should be some
decent photographs of the gap.
(could you help me out, w/ links Terry?)
www.peakpeak-dot-com/~terryf/tesla/misc/terrygap.jpg
Basically the Cu pipe gap works
by utilizing the large surface area and
excellent heat dissipation of short sections of copper pipe, stacked side
to side. The performance of all
static gaps is determined ultimately by the breakdown voltage and power
handling of the air in between the gaps. The breakdown voltage is
compromised by the metal ions that are rapidly produced by the gap when
it heats up, leading to poor quenching. Therefore the gaps which dissipate
heat the best also quench the best. Tungsten is usually
prefferred as as a gap material in high power gaps because of its extreme
hardness-- one coiler built a static gap using tungsten electrodes
mounted in aluminum heatsinks, which performed extremely well. Air gaps
are usually prefferred to simple static gaps-- because *any* airflow
generally tends to improve performance.
Hope I was of some help.
--Mike