RE: very confused coil results

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

Original poster: "Malcolm Watts by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz>

Hi Dave,

On 8 Apr 2002, at 18:17, Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "David Thomson by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <dave-at-volantis-dot-org>
> 
> Hi Ed,
> 
> In NIKOLA TESLA ON HIS WORK WITH ALTERNATING CURRENTS and Their Application
> to Wireless Telegraphy, Telephony and Transmission of Power by Leland I.
> Anderson (section IV,)  Tesla is quoted as saying,
> 
> "This [Fig. 32] is another improvement in that particular device, which was
> the weakness of the invention and which I tried to eliminate. This device
> incorporated many spark gaps in series. It had a peculiar feature; namely,
> through the great number of gaps, I was able, as I have pointed out in my
> writings, to produce oscillations without even a spark being visible between
> the knobs. This device is now known in the art as the "quenched spark gap."
> Professor Wein has formulated a beautiful theory about it, which I
> understand has netted him the Nobel prize. Wein's theories are admirable.
> The only trouble is that he has overlooked one very important fact. It is
> this: If the apparatus is properly designed and operated, there is no use
> for the quenched gap, for the oscillations are continuous anyway. The radio
> men who came after me had the problem before them of making a bell sound,
> and they immersed it in mercury. Now, you know mercury is heavy. When they
> struck their bell, the mercury did not permit it to vibrate long because it
> took away all the energy. I put my bell in a vacuum and make it vibrate for
> hours. I have designed circuits in connection with an enterprise in 1898 for
> transmission of energy which, once started, would vibrate three years, and
> even after that the oscillations could still be detected. Professor Wein's
> theory is very beautiful, but it really has no practical meaning. It will
> become useless as soon as the inefficient apparatus of the day, with
> antennae that radiate energy rapidly, [are] replaced by a scientifically
> designed oscillator which does not give out energy except when it gets up to
> a tremendous electromagnetic momentum."
> 
> The scientifically designed oscillator is the combination flat spiral coil
> with tall solenoid combination that I am working on.  Early on I already
> pointed out that my coils can run continuously for hours without the
> slightest heating of the transformer, capacitors or spark gap.
> 
> Today I just finished the oil immersed mica primary capacitors and this week
> I'll wind a new 48" tall solenoid for the center of the 25" flat spiral I
> have wound.  I'm trying to build one of these "scientifically designed"
> coils Tesla was talking about.
> 
> Dave

All I can say is "good luck". It is documented in the CS Notes that 
all those magnificent photos taken of Tesla's magnifying transmitter 
were time exposures, each featuring "many closures of the switch" of 
a duration of a second or so. I wonder why, by his own admission, he 
didn't run the machine continuously?

Regards,
Malcolm