Re: B00ya! NSTs?

["Nathan Morris" <themfam-at-xxxxxxxx> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-xxxxxxxxxx>)]

All,
I am collecting material for my first small DC TC and I am looking for
suggestions on where to obtain the following items:
1)  A 0-120V variac with a current rating of 1.75 amps.
2) .001 - .005uF mica caps rated at 5kV
If this coil is a success, I have a 7500V/20mA NST that I plan to use on my
next AC coil.  I will be winding the secondary for my tube coil soon and
would like get the material for the AC coil while I am at it.  I need to
know how to calculate the  diameter, height, wire size and number of turns
for a secondary that would work well with my NST.  I am following a diagram
provide by Mark Rzeszotarski to build the DC coil and have no idea how he
arrived at these numbers.  I live in the Dallas Ft. Worth area.
--Nate



----- Original Message -----
From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2000 11:17 PM
Subject: Re: B00ya! NSTs?


> Original poster: Megavolt121-at-aol-dot-com
>
> Hi
>     In his saltwater system, the most easily, and needed component that
needs
> to be replaced would be his capacitors. Of course, I'd love to say "go buy
> those 45kv .04 Maxwell caps", but lets face reality. Most of us don't have
a
> few hundred to thousands lying around to buy a brand new cap. Then again,
its
> not like everyone that has a new cap is willing to part with it that soon.
> Therefore, the next possible routes are building yoru own out of poly or
MMC.
> Poly's end up costing the same as MMC, but aren't as durable, turn out to
be
> oily messes, etc.. Practically speaking, an MMC is most worth it. Don't
get
> me wrong, I'm not stating that throwing an MMC on a coil will cure-all
> problems, but they sure as heck will help out when compared to a Salt
Water
> Gap. As Mike stated already, he already has the RQ/TCBOR 6 gap static gap
> setup. As much as many say that the gap is the most important component
that
> can be upgraded and will usually cut output, I would disagree. My first
coil
> used a crap gap(literally, the gaps weren't evenly spaced, etc). I still
was
> able to push a 40" arc using just a 15/90 nst with a coil massivly off
tune
> with a torroid that was way to small. Had I run saltwater caps, I would
have
> immediately switched to MMC's only because they are the only economically
> sound caps that i can afford and know that will last. I agree that
eventually
> all of us want to go with bigger and more power, but on a first coil or
your
> first few, you can't go on dreaming. All you can do is refine what you
have
> and make it look the best and run the best. Until you get the money,
> experience, and neighbors that will allow for such a big coil, the best
you
> can do is to keep in touch with reality with your "smaller" coil and make
> that one kick.
>
> -Alan
>
> In a message dated 11/12/00 5:17:16 PM Pacific Standard Time,
> tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:
>
> << Original poster: "Albert Hassick" <uncadoc-at-juno-dot-com>
>
>  Hi All.  I can only say that I meant that once you are hooked on coiling,
>  you are really hooked, nothing can save you when you get the first small
>  sparks to creep up off your coil!  Hey, why are you list members so testy
>  when it comes to capacitance?  Is the MMC the only way to get a better
>  coil? You want big sparks?  Get a bigger tranny, get better caps and most
>  of all, build a good spark gap, the spark gap is the true common
>  denominator of any Tesla system,  why all this talk of MMC caps?  or any
>  caps for that matter, I have fried MMC's, doorknobs, blown up salt water
>  caps and cracked the plate glass in flat caps and blown out my oil
>  immersed poly caps. Now are the caps the that only thing that will give a
>  big spark?  I think not!  There are many caps available to be built or
>  bought and they all cost money.  Even good MMC's cost some bucks and will
>  need a bleeder resistor bank and a suitable perfboard, solder, time etc.
>  But one thing I know for sure, I like all types of caps for Tesla
>  systems.  I like the MMC's too, but they are not a common cureall for
>  what ails your coil. You want big sparks?  Get hi voltage and moderate
>  current into your coil and then build a good spark gap. Then add
>  capacitance as needed for max spark.  Too much is mentioned of these
>  MMC's lately, they are not a cure all.  I do agree that the MMC's can be
>  a very reliable and indestructible source of capacitance as long as they
>  are rated above rms.  A good spark gap and well tuned and coupled primary
>  is the most efficient way to get your coil to produce big sparks.  How
>  many of you really take the time to couple your primary/secondary? And
>  most of all, you must rate your caps to withstand double the A/C voltage
>  that they will ever endure,including random peaks of voltage, if you do
>  that, then you will have a fantastic cap setup that will last and last
>  and will be capable of upgrading easily to a bigger higher powered
>  system.   I like my latest coil with the one and one half turn primary.
>  That is true efficiency!     AL. >>
>
>
>