Re: TC Critical Coupling (was Overcoupling

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: TC Critical Coupling (was Overcoupling
From: "John H. Couture" <COUTUREJH-at-worldnet.att-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Sat, 22 May 1999 19:14:34 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

At 06:21 AM 5/21/99 -0600, you wrote:
>Original Poster: "Malcolm Watts" <MALCOLM-at-directorate.wnp.ac.nz> 
>
>> Original Poster: "John H. Couture" <COUTUREJH-at-worldnet.att-dot-net> 
>> 
><snip>
>
>> >   These problems can be eliminated and all of the losses can be easily
>> >> included by using the proper tests. Tests using known loads are the
>answer.
>> >> For example to find the efficiency of an electric motor a Prony brake, a
>> >> known output load, is used. For a Tesla coil a controlled spark or
>> >> incandescent lamp which are known output loads can be used. There are
>other
>> >> possibilities.
>> >
>> >How do *you* go about measuring the current and voltage associated 
>> >with the output spark?
>> 
>> --------------------------------
>> 
>>   You cannot. That is the reason that you have to find another method to
>> quantify the spark. The "controlled spark" is one possibility. This gives
>> you an input watts per foot of spark. This is an important variable for
>> Tesla coils. It is dependent on several other important variables in the
>> design of the coil and is, therefore, a good overall representation of the
>> coil.
>> 
>>    JC 
>
>To say "you cannot" is to deny that at least one person (Greg Leyh) 
>already has measured output currents. I concede.
>
>Malcolm
>
>
 It was my understanding that Greg measured the current to the secondary
terminal not to the spark. I do not think these two currents would be the
same because they have differences in time.

  John Couture