Re: Aluminium Primary

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Aluminium Primary
From: alfred.skrocki.sr-at-juno-dot-com (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 18:25:53 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

On Sat, 18 Sept. 1999 12:18:37 -0600 In the Tesla List
Russell Milliken <bigruss-at-orcon.co.nz> wrote;

>With the recent discussion on aluminium magnet wire I thought I would 
>ask about the use of aluminium for the primary. I have used 9.5 mm
(3/8") 1350 
>electrical grade (very very pure) 0-Temper aluminium rod for my 10-turn
primary. 
>The aluminium is not anodised so the surface is electrically conductive.

>Is this an acceptable conductor for the primary ?

I've built coils with aluminum primaries as well as aluminum secondaries
and never noticed
any loss in performance. The aluminum I've used is the 3/8 solid wire the
utility companies
use to ground their distribution transformers (pole pigs) and I've also
use 1/4 inch aluminum tubing stripped from trashed refrigerators.

>Initial TC testing proved disappointing. All I could draw was an 18cm 
>spark - but I think this was due to the 200 kV, 0.0195uF paper capacitor
(from 
>a particle accelerator) being inappropriate for pulsed TC use - an MMC 
>is on the way. Maybe the aluminium primary affected it also? What do you
think?

I've tried many different types of caps for Tesla coils and found oil
impregnated polyethylene to be the best!

                                            Sincerely;

                                       Alfred A. Skrocki Sr.
                                    Alfred.Skrocki.Sr-at-juno-dot-com
                                    AlfredSkrocki-at-NetZero-dot-net

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