Re: Plate cap, literally

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

Original poster: "Andy Cobaugh by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <kb3ewy-at-rcn-dot-com>

Unless the plates are really thick and free of imperfections (cracks that
you can't see, as was in my cap) you have to use two plates stacked together
to hold off the voltage.  I had a punch through because of a crack in one of
the plates.  I reassembled it, removing the adjacent metal plate.  Somehow I
was left with only one plate half way down the stack as the dielectric, and
it only took maybe a few kV to puncture the plate.  I submerged everything
in vegetable oil.  It seems like it worked though, I may try another one
with mineral oil and more and better plates, after I get the caps for my MMC
and get it working.  Let you all know if I try this type of cap again.

Andy, KB3EWY
http://users.rcn-dot-com/tcobaugh/andy/tesla.htm