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Re: hv connections

>Original Poster: "Reinhard Walter Buchner" <rw.buchner-at-verbund-dot-net>
>
>Hello all (esp. Fucian & Christopher),
>
>(snipped here and there)
>My comments interspersed.
>
> > Original Poster: "Christopher Boden" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com>
> > was looking at me like I was a wus when I would VERY gently
> >hold the wire.
>
>Well it doesnīt make a whole lot of difference if you hold it (very)
>gently or not. IF the insulation breaks down, your muscles WILL
>contract and you wonīt be able to let go and it doesnīt make a
>darn of a difference HOW you hold the cable. Best not to try
>this.

I know, but it makes ME feel better to tough it gently...lol. I know it's 
stupid, but how many times have you gently, or very quickly touched 
something that, even after unplugged or otherwise "Safe" you still didn't 
trust? I have noticed (and commented on) others doing this too, like 
electrically hot was the same as thermally hot. I's human nature. :)




BTW, 15kV is the rated voltage of the cable (and on a 15kV
>neon you are only using half of itīs rated voltage above ground
>potential), NOT itīs breakdown voltage. That will be at least
>2-3x the rated value.
>
> > 4AWG "Monstor Cable" used for car audio work.
>
>Well, unless you get that stuff for free or much cheaper than
>retail price, welding cable will be A LOT cheaper. That audio
>stuff (like Monster Cable) has lots of *hog wash* (OFC, etc,
>etc), which will do NOTHING to improve your coilīs output.

It's the only large cable we can get for free right now. We get 5' or so 
scraps from the car audio place up the street. And, as an Audiophile, I can 
attest that the OFC and all the other marketing stuff is crap too :) I would 
much sooner spend $2000 on another Crown or Carver amp than speaker wire :)


> > We use Panduit or Stake-On wire connectors, always terminate your
> >connections in a crimp connector. Never use plain old bare wire
> >wrapped around a bolt. It's icky, rather unreliable, and in my opinion,
> >unsafe. Crimp the wire, then give it a firm tug, if it fails the
> >Tug-Test, cut it, and redo it. You'll get it right.
>
>Sorry, but I wonīt agree on this one. Do NOT just crimp your
>connections. Rather SOLDER them. It only takes an extra minute
>and it is MUCH more reliable than crimping alone. You would be
>surprised as to what resistance a crimp-alone connection can have
>(or get after a while).

Does it really make that big a difference? Thank's for the tip :)

> > Unless it specifically says so on the wire, almost ALL wire is rated
> >for 600 Volts. The reason for this magical number is that's the
>
>This isnīt quite true either. NO way, will normal hook-up wire
>withstand 600V (in a safe-to-handle way). House wiring in the U.S.
>has a UL rated value of 600V. Normal (small gauge) wire does NOT
>(and it has no *other* voltage markings, either).

I was referring to the 8-14AWG we have hanging about here, everything from 
Romex to spools and such. It's the wire we use for our coil.

> > amperages, once they touch an arc can be sustained indefinately.
>
>Actually, it depends on their duty cycle ;o)

Huh? Can you explain this? :)

> > Some guys, especially the pros out there don't even use wire, they use
> > copper ribbon, when we evolve to a pig system we will use it as well.
> > the REALLY big coils use pipe, look up a coil called Electrum and you
> >will see the primary connects are made from large copper pipe.
>
>This has to do with the skin effect. It makes NO difference if you use
>a big round conductor or a flat ribbon conductor. The "inner" part of
>your round conductor will see little or no current flow, but it wonīt
>perform any worse.
>
>(Low voltage ground)
> > here isn't terribly important, just a good tight connection. anthing
> >from 10 to 18AWG is fine.
>
>I canīt really let this stand that way either. It depends on what
>xformer you are using. For a low to mid powered coil, okay, but
>if you run a 25kVA pole pig that ground connection had BETTER
>be heavy and able to withstand a mainīs short circuit (for whatever
>reason this might happen) w/o melting.

I was referring to a typical NST system :) Useing my own as an example. We 
don't have a Pig....yet :)


> > has to connect to a real ground. Get a couple copper ground rods
> >(about $5 each) at a home improvement strore and drive them in
> >the ground next to your house. If you're lucky, keep an eye out for
> >your local utility trucks and
>
>I have said this at least 10 times before: FORGET copper pipe or rod.
>It is WAY too soft to get into sandy or rocky ground, esp. STRAIGHT.
>Instead, use some galvanized T-iron. You can smack this into ANY
>kind of ground with a hammer and it will NOT bend.

Here in Michigan, home of clay and loam I have never had a problem with 
bending ground rods. I'm sure they bend like 5 or 10 deg underground, but 
it's never been an issue. I can appreciate useing T stock, but not unless I 
had to. When we build the new ground array it's a good idea :) I want a 
"Bombproof" ground array.

IF you do drive
>them in yourself, be 1000% SURE you know EXACTLY where gas
>pipes, telephone and electrical conduits are, BEFORE you pound it into
>the ground. If you hit any one of those, you WILL wish you had never
>heard of a Tesla coil (=>$$$) in your life.

Yes, ALWAYS call Miss Dig :) Or Mr whoever you guys on the other side of the 
pond have. :)

> > Any LARGE diameter wire or cable will work, just make it as big as
> >you can get and make the connections tight.
>
>Hmm, I can get some pretty large braided wire (good cross sectional
>area), but it would make an awful grounding system, due to the losses
>this kind of wire has.

Sorry, I hadn't thought of Litz :)

>
>Coiler greets from Germany,
>Reinhard
>
>
Thank's boss :)



Chris Boden
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