RE: My Basement ground system: Your opinions

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

Original poster: "Dave Hartwick by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ddhartwick-at-earthlink-dot-net>

Yes--I know that classically, hot water pipes are not recommended for
grounding, but this is a special case.

The goal is not to ultimately make connection to earth ground, but to
utilize the sheer mass of the pipes imbedded in the concrete slab floor. A
counterpoise, which will also capacitively couple to the earth underneath
the floor.

Cold water grounding for Tesla Coils is generally not recommended,
especially at high power levels. In my case, I think the floor pipes are the
better option, though maybe you're right that a dedicated  ground would be
superior. I think you'll find, however, that a single ground rod driven into
the ground will not produce an RF ground of sufficiently high Q with respect
to Tesla Coil operation.

That's my current understanding, open to correction, of course.
Dave


Hot water pipes are NEVER a good source of ground.
The "continuity" you detect is picking up ground
after passing through a lot of other things.

For a better ground, either find a COLD water pipe,
or drive a ground rod outside, and bring it in via
a contiguous length of #6 or #4 solid copper wire.

My preference is the ground rod.

---
C.L. Mayeux
Owner, MSB Data Systems
poohbear1961-at-cox-dot-net
http://www.msbdatasystems.tk



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
> Sent: Monday, August 12, 2002 12:06 AM
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: My Basement ground system: Your opinions
>
>
> Original poster: "Dave Hartwick by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ddhartwick-at-earthlink-dot-net>
>
> Our basement incorporates as its heating system a series of
> hot-water pipes
> that are imbedded in the concrete slab. Constructed some 40 years ago, I
> have the blueprints to this system and the piping within the concrete slab
> is extensive.
>
> My thinking is that this constitutes a rather fine main RF ground
> system for
> Tesla Coils. There is continuity between this system and the rest of the
> cold and hot water plumbing.
>
> What is your assessment of this RF ground?
> Dave Hartwick
>
>
>
>
>