Re: Still mystified by odd TC behavior, what gives?

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

Original poster: "Jonathan Peakall by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jpeakall-at-mcn-dot-org>

Jason,

I did, and it measures up. I do really appriciate your time tho'!

Jonathan Peakall

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Jason Petrou by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jasonp-at-btinternet-dot-com>
> 
> Hi Jonathan,
> Is it possible that your secondary is fried? There amy have been a little
> spark that shorted out some turns, or maybee a turn melted... that would
> accound for the lack of tuning because there are now fewer active turns.
> Find the resistivity for copper wire, work out what the resistance should be
> for that gauge wire (or better still find the ohms per metre) and then
> measure it with a meter... just an idea of course!
> 
> Jason
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2001 6:41 PM
> Subject: Re: Still mystified by odd TC behavior, what gives?
> 
> > Original poster: "albert hassick by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <uncadoc-at-juno-dot-com>
> >
> > Hi Jonathan.  I too have had Tesla coils give outstanding spark gap
> > output with little or no secondary output. All I know is that if the
> > capacitance that you have is not properly tuned to the primary coil then
> > you will get lots of spark gap action, but no output at the secondary.
> > Sounds as if your coil will not quite accept the capacitor that you have
> > now.  Maybe you could supplement it with a few beer bottle caps just to
> > see if you can get some output at the secondary.  Your existing cap must
> > be functioning because if it had fried then you would not get any arc at
> > all from the spark gap.  Yes, your big cap could be borderline and
> > possibly causing your problems, but I feel that your tank is lacking just
> > a wee bit in total capacitance in relationship to all the other
> > components of your coil.  It is also possible that this cap may be
> > working ok but is just too large for your coil parameters.  Again, try to
> > series or parallel some bottle caps just to see if you can get this coil
> > to spark.   This will at least give you a starting point for improvement.
> >  Al.
> >
> > On Sat, 19 May 2001 10:26:46 -0600 "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> > writes:
> > > Original poster: "Jonathan Peakall by way of Terry Fritz
> > > <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jpeakall-at-mcn-dot-org>
> > >
> > > Howdy All,
> > >
> > > I have been struggling for over a week to figure out what the heck
> > > is
> > > going on here. If anyone can help me, I'd be soooo happy. Here is
> > > the
> > > situation:
> > >
> > > Basic coil specs:
> > >
> > > Small secondary, 450 wraps of 22 AWG on a 3.5" form.
> > > Primary: Either a 12 turns 12 AWG auto wire on a 6.5" form, or 15
> > > wraps
> > > 10 AWG auto wire on a 8" form.
> > > PSU: Either a 12kv/120ma or 15kv/60ma.
> > > Vacuum single gap
> > > RF filter ALA Terry
> > >
> > > I recently got a Resonant Research Inc. .025 (actually tests to
> > > .023)
> > > tank cap. When I try to use it, with either transformer or even
> > > with
> > > both ganged up in parallel, I get no output from the secondary,
> > > regardless of how I tune the primary or set the SG. I can draw a
> > > wimpy
> > > spark to a ground rod, but that's it. The gap fires fine over a
> > > range of
> > > settings. As soon as I add another cap in series to the .023 and
> > > lower
> > > the capacitance, it fires up. Yet the gap isn't acting as I have
> > > seen in
> > > the past with too large a tank cap, which has always resulted in
> > > erratic
> > > SG performance.
> > >
> > > The only thing I can think of is that the "sweet spot" is really
> > > small,
> > > and as I only have taps on each turn on the large primary I haven't
> > > hit
> > > it right. Is it possible for the tuning to be so sensitive that one
> > > gets
> > > no output unless really close? The gap sounds mean and hot, but is
> > > it
> > > possible that the .025 cap is damaged? It seems unlikely considering
> > > the
> > > fury of the gap.
> > >
> > > If you can help, you're my Hero!
> > >
> > > TIA,
> > >
> > > Jonathan Peakall (The other OTHER Jonathan)
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
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