Re: Update to my problems

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

Original poster: "cd by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <vbprg1-at-hotmail-dot-com>

congratulations on getting it to work...
your almost there..
Im not an expert, but I had good luck with tuning mine.
It might have something to do with my logic....
so here it is
The longer the wire the lower the frequency... (I believe)is the rule to
follow but several factors are involved.

First
I would do a rough calculation on the capacitance of the new top load...
this would give me an idea if it was Larger or smaller in capacitance than
something I had already produced sparks from. size would be a good
indication
but size or surface area of differing shapes may be hard to judge
visually...without at least some rough math
anyway after knowing weather or not the New Topload was Larger or smaller in
capacitance than a topload I had already tuned, would tell me how I would
need to alter my current tuning setup...Write down your tuning points and
the results...very Important....

A smaller topload (Q I believe to the engineer types) would mean you have
created the effect of less wire length added to your secondary coil...so a
secondary coil with less wire needs a smaller EM field cast off by the
primary to achieve resonance..

If you put a Topload that is larger in capacitance on top of your secondary,
Its like adding more wire to the secondary. So the EM field of the primary
must be adjusted to make a larger field for resonance with the new secondary
topload coupling length.
a good example is
on my system
at 12000v60ma
the tuning point for an aluminum soda can topload is right at turn 6
at 12000v60ma
the tuning point for a 14" by 4" torrid is about turn 9.25

another relationship you may need to be aware of
at 12000v30ma
the tuning point for an aluminum soda can topload is right about turn 9

so a larger capacitance needs more turns on the primary to create a lower
frequency EM field to resonate with the lower frequency secondary/topload
coupling....
The process can be related to tuning a musical instrument
When tuning a musical instrument. A note played on one string will make a
similarly tuned open string vibrate...
Changing the topload size changes the note of the open string
so you have to play a different note on the primary to make it vibrate...

on another note
Aluminum tape
smoothed over with a spoon or a finger nail will help
with leakage from salad bowl joints...
Charge tries to escape from the sharp angles and points....
remove them cover them over
make them smooth to improve your topload

the 5th or 6th layer of aluminum tape really made a big difference....

Another point
maybe not mentioned much because its kind of common sense...but worth
mentioning
The further out on the primary you tune the more sensitive your tuning
becomes
Logic being each consecutive turn moving outwards covers more distance
so half of the first turn is about a foot and half of the last turn can be
several feet.
Remember that your not just tuning to single turn of a spiral (you may get
sparks from one or several turns near the inside of the spiral if you have a
small top load and lots of power)
but as you move outwards (larger topload or  less power)  you may only get
sparks from a small part of a circle.Of course the small part of the outer
turn can contain the same footage of wire as an entire inner turn.

There is probably a lot more physics here than I am aware of or capable of
explaining..

I got lucky and conducted experiments with the aluminum can first.
Then learned to tune to the torus by comparing the capacitance.
Honestly I could not get the torus to work for me either until I learned the
relationships.

The aluminum can was not sufficient to prevent out sparking from top turns
of the secondary so I don't recommend this method as you could potentially
burn your secondary top turn.... but It did allow me to learn the
relationships between power, Topload size, secondary frequency , and primary
resonant frequency...

hope that helps you tune...
remember safety first...
when the sparks get bigger make sure you,
and your audience is standing further back
I got a big kick out of 4 observers taking a step backwards in Unison
even though they were already standing more than a safe distance back...
Must have been an Impressive Spark :)
Chris Dowdy


----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 8:40 AM
Subject: Update to my problems with understading Tesla Theory


> Original poster: "Craig Shaffer by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <bshaffer-at-coe.neu.edu>
>
>
> ***IT WORKED***
>
> After two years of building I saw my first real "Tesla" corona discharge.
Now
> I need help with optimizing and tuning.
>
> -What is the best order to tune a coil?  What does every one else do when
they
> change the top load?
>
> -If im getting about 6 inches of corona why am I not able to get
streamers.  I
> tried mixing bowls and I got longer corona discharge but the bowls leak
around
> the edges a lot so I fixed up a quick torrad with 4" aluminium duct and I
can't
> make it discharge at all&.Even with a screw for a discharge point.  It
would
> seem that my new torriad is way to much top load???  What is the deal with
> picking it up off the coil (how far should it be?)
>
> Thanks everyone today was really great&.It sure is good to see it work
after
> all this time
>
> Craig
>