Re: Are Monster Toploads Really Needed?

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Alex Crow by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <alexcrow-at-blueyonder.co.uk>

Bart,

Yes, I'd have to agree - I went from 3' discharges with a 16" dia "toriod" (a 
garden soil sieve) to 6' with a 6" by 36" ducting 'roid. The sparks were also 
very, very much more bright and forceful! I think the quenching may be 
suboptimal, perhaps, with a large toroid (bigger ringup voltage and thus a 
later quench with a given spark gap). I was operating with a vacuum gap 
"sucked" by a 900W v/cleaner motor. Very clean gap, no power arcing, no heat 
on the pipe segments. If I ran with the fan off, output was dire within a 
couple of seconds!

Alex

On Monday 23 April 2001 14:58, Tesla list wrote:
> Original poster: "Barton B. Anderson by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <tesla123-at-pacbell-dot-net>
>
> Hi Al,
>
> It may be possible you are seeing no difference on your coil due to
> "something" about
> the design. I would be curious as to your coil, power, and charging system
> specs if
> it's not too much trouble.
>
> Thanks,
> Bart A.
>
> Tesla list wrote:
> > Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
>
> <uncadoc-at-juno-dot-com>
>
> > Hi all, Is it not possible that a tank circuit with an appropriately
> > wound coil could work without a monster toriod topload and give equally
> > devastating arcs?  I still stand by my statement that our coil can
> > produce an equal arc when tuned with a toroid, sphere, or no topload at
> > all.  The arc length remains the same as long as the primary is tuned for
> > optimum coupling.    Al.
> >
> > On Sat, 14 Apr 2001 11:03:40 -0600 "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> >
> > writes:
> > > Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
> > > <FutureT-at-aol-dot-com>
> > >
> > > Message to newbies,
> > >
> > > I would not want newbies to be misled. Most coils
> > > will give much longer sparks when the properly
> > > sized toroid is used.  I have to admit that I've never yet seen a
> > > coil
> > > that does not benefit from the use of a properly sized toroid.   To
> > > give just one example, my old coil that gave 40" sparks from a
> > > 12/30 NST, gave only 26" or so with no toroid.  My newer coil gives
> > > the longest sparks (42") using a 4" by 13" toroid.  If I replace
> > > that with
> > > a 3" by 10" toroid, the sparks are reduced to about 33".  Of course
> > > I tune for longest sparks in every case.  Of course a spherical
> > > topload can give excellent results also.   The bottom line is that
> > > not only do Tesla coils benefit from the use of a toroid or sphere
> > > on top, they also benefit from having the *properly sized* topload.
> > > There is a topload size *range* within which the results will be
> > > similar.
> > >
> > > Of course besides giving longer sparks, toploads also provide other
> > > benefits such as; shielding the top secondary turns from corona,
> > > aiming the sparks horizontally, giving a more spectacular display,
> > > brightening the sparks, etc.
> > >
> > > Cheers,
> > > John
> >
> > ________________________________________________________________
> > GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
> > Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
> > Join Juno today!  For your FREE software, visit:
> > http://dl.www.juno-dot-com/get/tagj.