RE: Update to my problems

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

Original poster: "Craig Shaffer by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <bshaffer-at-coe.neu.edu>


* Thanks 
This helps give me some more to think about at work  ;-)
Craig
-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com] 
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 4:31 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Update to my problems


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
>