Re: 811a coil/ bad diode?

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

Original poster: "Justin Hays by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <pyrotrons2000-at-yahoo-dot-com>

Hi,

HV diodes have a large forward voltage drop...for testing you will
need to overcome this by testing it at a hundred volts or so. 

Your meter uses millivolts (very small)...and isn't able to overcome
the forward voltage drop, so you get an infinite resistance reading
(because the diode never "turns on"). Lower voltage diodes will
usually read OK.

So, I'd take a small transformer with an output of maybe 100 - 10000
volts and try to charge a capacitor through the diode. If the cap
charges the diode is probably fine.

Make sure the capacitor is rated for the voltage it will be charged
to.

Take care,

Justin Hays
KC5PNP
Email: justin-at-hvguy-dot-com
Website: www.hvguy-dot-com