Re: Multiple Questions

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

Original poster: "Luc by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ludev-at-videotron.ca>

Hi CJ



Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "CJ Moore by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<wizard1234-at-home-dot-com>
> 
> Over the past two years I have had quite a few questions about tesla
coils but
> was unable to confirm/deny any information 100%. While I do not think I ever
> will be able to, tapping the minds of everyone on this list will
certinally get
> me somewhere.
> Questions
> 
> 1) Does the thickness of the wall in the secondary form affect anything?
if yes
> then what and how. (my secondary uses irrigation pipe - very thick walled,
> about 1/2 inch pvc)

The thickness of the wall increase the loss but just a little bit
if your pipe is really dry and stay dry ( some people dry the
pipe by exposing it to sun on a dry day and seal it inside and
out with polyurethane varnish ) there is no problem. Watch out if
your pipe is black it could contain carbon and that no good.

 
> 2) Is 85$ for a Maxwell Pulse Capacitor rated at 35kVDC, .030 uF +/- 10%,
~2uH
> E.S.L a good deal

2- Personally if I find one at this price I probably buy it.
 
> 3) How do you find/become aware of/go to an auction for a power company?
(heard
> they did that)

 ????? May be just call and ask your power company

 
> 4) Where do you find the disc, electrodes, and shaft for a RSG

Disk: Lexan at Home depot or better G-10 at McMaster-Carr.
Electrode: Tungsten welding rod at welding supplier.
 
> 5) Is it acurate to say that you should have no more than 800 turns on a
> secondary.

No one of my coils have only 400 turns but some guy on the list
proved that coil with 1200 to 1600 turns work more efficiently.

 
> 6) What are the advantages/disadvantages to each type of primary coil. (this
> one will bring lots of discussion)

The present consensus is that flat spiral primary is the best
compromise ( easy to built, less prone to arcing, good
distribution of the magnetic field and in many case best coupling
coefficient ).

 
> 7) What are good prices for NST

Free to expensive ;-))

 
> 8) Is it worth it to use more than 2 NST's to try and acheive higher
current at
> a much lower voltage?

If you use 2 or more NST you'll have more current but not less
voltage and it's a common practice ( primary in parallel and
secondary in parallel = same voltage more current ).

 
> 9) I have run my previous coils for less than 30 seconds at a time, many
people
> have horror stories of things breaking, how long do you usually have to run a
> coil to mess up a NST? (medium sized coil, average components)

Couple of years ago I build a coil with bad component ex: mylar
caps I run it for short run and the coil is still alive. All is a
question of design. If you build a coil with all the part at
there best value it'll cost you a lot of money but I don't see
why it could not run continuously. If you have a good protection
circuit ( check Terry design ) and some time just a good and WELL
ADJUST PROTECTION GAP the NST have no reason to die.

 
> 10) People have referecend neon sign shops many times on websites as
being good
> places to find NSTs cheap, however I have never seen or even heard of a neon
> sign shop outside of tesla coil sites. I looked in the phone book and found
> nothing? Do I live in some abnormal area or are they not so common?

I don't know were you live, if you can't find a neon shop near
your house check with any store having neon sign were they buy
them or who make the service for there sign.

 
> 11) I had more...but I didn't write them down at the time, I will post others
> later, this is all I can think of right now.

Go on, question and discussion are what keep this group alive ;-)

Cheers,

Luc Benard

> 
> 
> I do realize that some of these questions are not very scientific, but
they are
> related to Tesla Coils. I apprcieate any answers you have, regardless of your
> experience.
>
P.S. It's a common practice on this list to signed our message :-)