Re: Primary Question

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

Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>
> 
> Hi Dave,
> 
> The flat sprial primary will be perfectly fine.
> 
> I would guess the old Ford coil is 20 -30kV.  Mine are too old to power
up but
> they probably put out about 1/2 to 3/4 inch sparks.
> 
> BTW - Very nice coil!!
> 
> Cheers,
> 
>         Terry

	Based on my observations as a kid (circa 1940-41) of new (a buck or so
from Western Auto where I lived) and used (pulled out of the "coil box"
of old cars in the junk yard), "as god made them" you could get about a
quarter inch spark running them off a 6 volt battery.  By playing with
the vibrator and restricting its motion with some for of wedge (half a
clothes pin)  or other device it was possible to get 1/2" or more of
pretty hot discharges.  Never upped the voltage as I never had more than
one storage battery at a time.  I have a couple of working ones in the
basement now, and the performance seems to be about the same.

Ed