Re: Cap/SG config

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

Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Dr. Duncan Cadd by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <dunckx-at-freeuk-dot-com>
> 
> Hi Matt, All!
> 
> >I am having some trouble with my coil. I was wondering if it was
> related to
> >the way the spark gap and the capacitor are placed. I have seen
> countless
> >schematics of Tesla coil primary circuits. Some of them had the
> capacitor
> >in-line with the HV xrfrmr and others had the spark gap. Is there a
> bigger
> >"bang" with one of those configurations? Could use a little help
> here.
> 
> This is a subject which reappears from time to time, but the consensus
> seems to be that it makes no difference to the output.  Why not post
> some details of your coil and the problem(s) to the list, there's
> bound to be someone with a few ideas as to what could be wrong?
> 
> Dunckx
> Geek#1113 G-1

	Some time ago I posted a note here concerning capacitor and gap
connections.  Can't find the copy.  I have a number of old "wireless"
books from the 1900-1920 era, and they show either possible connection,
with various names  (not always the same).  By the early 1920's the
books were "radio" books, and all schematics show the gap across the
transformer secondary, sometimes with RF chokes between it and the
capacitor and sometimes not.  By a little later (circa 1922) spark
became a thing of the past and no more books devoted solely to spark.

	In my opinion it is safer to put the gap across the transformer, but if
the transformer isn't damaged it should make little difference which
configuration is used, as the transformer impedance is so much higher
than that of the capacitor that it won't introduce any significant
losses.

Ed