Re: More newbie questions

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

Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>



Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Michael O. Poley by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <mpoley-at-mindspring-dot-com>
> 
> Whew, after reading the list for a while there I was worried about asking
> beginner's questions...

no such thing..

> 
> I'm working off of  Jeff Corr's plans for a 4" diameter secondary off a
> 15kV/30mA NST, and now that I've got the components assembled, I'm
> worried.  Everybody's talking about high voltage cable, and now I'm
> wondering whether or not I need to make a special trip to get some to
> connect the whole tank circuit together, or whether I can "make-do" with
> something more readily available at the hardware store.  I'm not really
> planning on operating it for any extended length of time or anything.  What
> do you think?

Use whatever wire you want.  Solid #12 "house wire" works fairly well for
experimenting because it is stiff enough to hold its shape.  You can leave
the insulation on or strip it off as you please (at 15 kV, the insulation
effectively isn't there...)

If you want to put something over the wire (like vinyl or polyethylene
tubing) where it runs next to something grounded so that it doesn't corona
or arc, you can, but, the insulation quality on tubing is sort of iffy.
Try it and see, and don't use your hand as the test prod.

Air is the cheapest and most reliable insulator, if you have enough distance.

More important in the primary circuit is using heavy wire (the peak RF
currents are fairly high, around 100 Amp)... don't go wiring your primary
with 30 AWG wire wrap wire.  On the other hand, for a 15 kV 30 mA NST,
there isn't much point in using 4/0 welding cable.