Re: electricity with a turbine

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

Original poster: "Christopher Boden by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com>



>How do I explain coiling to the girls?
>

Don't, just light it up for them and they'll ask all the questions you can 
answer.

>Ok now to what I’m planning.
>So I’m at this fine tractor pull/ antique engine festival in Maine. I was
>really turned on by this working model steam turbine this one guy had made.
>I have been toying with the idea of making my own electricity for a coil 
>for
>a long time and I thought the turbine was something I could do.
>I’m looking at winding my own HV transformer and powering it with my own
>steam turbine.

There are 2 ways to go, though I *really* wouldn't reccomend a turbine, 
they're a SERIOUS pain to build, to to make one big enough to do any real 
work you'd need a well equipped machine shop, some big-dog engineers, and 
about 20 more years of school. They also have a nasty habit of failing in 
spectacular ways, espeially the little ones that spool up *really* fast to 
ungodly RPMs. For referance, the engine Geek-3 tops out at about 4000RPM, at 
7000 you buy a new engine. The 4" turbine going on the Mach-2 Street Luge 
runs at around 120,000RPM! The slightest imbalance at those speeds (like if 
it sucks in a rock) and parts start flying at fractional Mach speeds in all 
directions.

However :)

If you want to power something from steam, that's cake (though you MUST have 
you boiler Hydro-tested!!!!!!!!!!). Do a little research on the "Nifty Nine 
Tuber", detailed plans of it's construction are easily found (it was 
featured in Live Steam! Magazine years ago). It's easy to build with 
rudimentary machine shop skills and if you have access to a Lathe/Mill 
you're set. I've built one when I was 14 so you know it can't be that hard.

>From the small boiler power a beefy little stationary steam engine (a wonder 
to watch almost as entertaining as a Tesla Coil). Start simple, make a 
couple SA wobblers (go to a hobby shop and look at the cheaper Mamod's and 
such). To power a tabletop coil you're gonna need something more serious 
though, and you'll need patience and help from a good machinist. Something 
like a 4Cy DA compound marine engine would be great. I built one, when I was 
about 19, an I've still got plans for it somewhere buried in here........It 
was featured in Live Steam!, or Home Shop Machinist or one of that genere of 
mags back in the late 80's.

Use the steam engine to spin an alternator and you're set :) But don't 
expect much power, and remember that Steam can be just as dangerous as HV, 
and just as quick to kill, maim, or burn you.

You could also sidestep this process and jus use a nice, safe, air 
compressor, the engine doesn't know the difference between Steam of 
compressed air and will run happily on either :)



>I really want to make a super high voltage transformer 50kv? 75kv? 100kv?,
>not for TC use mind you, just a Jacobs ladder or other similar thing. I’d
>power it with juice made with the turbine.

You *really* don't want to deal with handling 100kV, once you get over about 
30kV the rules get really weird. For a simple JL you can run 15kV and some 
gobs of amps (like 2kVA) and have a JL that will frighten small children.


>I’m thinking that the more steam I give the turbine the faster it goes and
>the more current I can get out of it and there for I can make bigger sparks
>on the Jacobs ladder.

Something like that.

>1.	were can I learn about transformer construction?

Neets online, plus about half the big brains on here.

>2.	if I can only get 100 volts generated from the turbine what is involved
>in stepping it up to 50k?or 100kv …. how high could one go…?

Theoreticly there is no limit, but anything over 15kV is a waste and more 
trouble than it needs to be. Think of it like this.

I have a 15kV 60mA power supply that I can lift with one hand. It's potted 
in Tar and cheap to replace.

I have a 150kV 500mA power supply that weighs about 1,600Lbs, is filled with 
over 50 Gallons of oil, and requires my renting a truck (a BIG truck) to 
haul it around.



>3.	how much will current govern spark lengths?

In a JL the arcs work like this.

Voltage controlls the initial jump (how close your rods have to be at the 
bottom). With a MOT they have to be almost touching, with a 15kV NST it's 
about a half inch or so.

Current controlls how THICK the arc is, and how far apart you can pull it. I 
have a Pig that is only about 8kV that I can pull 2-3' arcs from because 
it's sucking 150A from the wall! But that 15kV NST at only 60mA will get you 
about 3" before it craps out. Low current arcs look like wispy little 
sparks, hair thin lines. Whereas High current arcs look like guided fire, 
the pig arcs are as thick as my wrist.

I have anorexic little girly-man wrists, but you get the idea.

A MOT would be a great transformer for this application, but an NST would be 
a lot easier to feed, especially with an anemic steam power supply.

>4.	if the “in” voltage to the transformer is turned down then the
>transformer would step up the voltage not to 50kv but say 15kv, something
>good for my TC. And then I would just have to feed the transformer more
>current till it is where I want it for the TC.

Kinda like that, yes, Variacs are wonderful things.

>
>I’m a man with a plan. The way I look at it ambition isn’t a bad thing.
>Read you later
>Josh

I , of all people can appreciate ambition, but the project you're 
contemplating will take you quite a while. I'm sure of this because it would 
take me 3 years to build myself, and I already have the tools and a history 
of building over a dozen steam engines, some Coils, and a lot of HV and 
Steam background. For me, the scariest part would be winding my own HV 
tranny, it's something I've never done before, it's not impossible, but it's 
hard. For you, I think the hardest part will be your powerplant, building a 
steam engine, and especially a turbine, is a daunting task with hundreds of 
intricate parts that all have to be precision fit.

It's also a LOT of fun! :)

Christopher "Duck" Boden Geek#1
President / C.E.O. / Alpha Geek
The Geek Group
www.thegeekgroup-dot-org
Because the Geek shall inherit the Earth!

"He had that rare weird electricity about him--that
extremely wild and heavy presence that you only see in
a person who has abandoned all hope of ever behaving
normally." --Hunter S. Thompson


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