Re: Solid Toroid Beneficial?

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Solid Toroid Beneficial?
From: "Alan Sharp" <AlanSharp-at-compuserve-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 14:37:52 -0700
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Message text written by INTERNET:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>
>I am writing up my research notes, which could easily come to 200 pages. 
I
>will make them available for the cost of photocopying and postage.  I
could
>have them finished in the next two or three months if I can figure out
>theoretical explanations for some of the observations I am making.  

Put me down for a copy, but the web is a far better way of publishing.

>Like your observation that raising the toroid improves performance.  I
noticed
>that today also, that raising the toroid lowers the input impedance and
>raises the top voltage.  It is not a classic frequency or current
>distribution effect.  I used two toroids, one slightly larger than the
>other.  The larger toroid had the same frequency sitting on the coil as
the
>smaller toroid had when 8 inches up.  The current distribution should be
the
>same.  But the smaller, raised toroid had 20 percent higher voltage on it.
>If you could think of a reason this might be so, I would appreciate it.

Because my toriod was made of tin foil, I could feel that it was warm after
a run.
But it would only take a few tens of watts to heat the foil, so energy loss
due
to the shorted turn can only be part of the story. The change in geometry
also increases the total capacitance. 

>My interest is more in the area of explaining Tesla coil operation than in
>making long sparks.  I have equipment to make a classical coil with
>potential transformers, but may never get around to doing it.<

Solid state is much more managable and repeatable (usually) for
research purposes.

Alan Sharp (UK)