Re: "kicker"

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

Original poster: "Gregory Hunter by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ghunter31014-at-yahoo-dot-com>

The kicking coil is a simple induction coil with only
one winding. It is the high voltage supply for your
little Tesla coil. Current through the single winding
magnetizes the core of the thing, draws the reed,
(which I believe is called the "interrupter") and
opens the circuit, causing the magnetic field to
collapse. This induces a big voltage spike in the
winding which causes high voltage to arc across the
reed contacts. The reed springs back to make contact,
starting the process again. You've guessed correctly
that the reed contacts also serve as the spark gap.
Kicking coils have been around for a long time. I'm
sure they pre-date the Tesla coil.

Cheers,

Greg

--- Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <CTCDW-at-aol-dot-com>
> 
> Hey all!
> 
> I have a question: Can anyone point me in the
> direction of what a kicker coil 
> is exactly, how they function in a tesla coil, or
> how they are made? I have 
> one of the morris and lee (edmund scientific,
> science first) coils...had it 
> since I was in my teens. the little induction coil
> thingy (with the 
> interrupter) is puzzling me. Is it a kicker? or is
> it an induction coil? 
> There is no spark gap other than the interrupter,
> and the 2 caps are in 
> "equidrive" config. Just curious!!
> 
> Chris W
> 
> 
> 


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 
a year!  http://personal.mail.yahoo-dot-com/