RE: Temporary RF Ground and Demonstrations . . .

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

Original poster: "Ted Rosenberg by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Ted.Rosenberg-at-radioshack-dot-com>

Malcolm: You mentioned using the support steel girders of this building for
an RF ground. In the new haunted house, I did the same thing. The columns,
of which there are many, are about 20 feet high and are sunk into the ground
through the concrete slab. The coil worked well <until the Terry Filter died
due to a shorted MOV>. However, I noticed that the colums were ALSO the
ground for the AC mains. Conduit was grounded to it etc.

So, is that always safe?

It's so convenient. But should I be careful?
Were the columns in your building also the AC ground?

Safety First

Ted

-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002 5:12 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Temporary RF Ground and Demonstrations . . .


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

HI Dan,

On 28 Aug 2002, at 8:14, Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "Mccauley, Daniel H by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <daniel.h.mccauley-at-lmco-dot-com>
> 
> 
> 
> Just curious to what you guys would use for an RF ground when taking your
> coil to various places for demonstration purposes.  For example, if I take
> my coil to my friend's house or to a Boy Scout demonstration etc... I
can't
> be constructing and pounding huge stakes in the ground (or classroom . . .
> GULP) for demonstrations.

I once exhibited a 2kW coil at an education expo. The venue was 
effectively a *large* warehouse with iron girders supporting the 
walls and roof embeded in a concrete floor. I simply ran the 
secondary ground to one of the girders. Worked a treat.

Regards,
Malcolm