Re: Tesla Coil Efficiency Test

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Rscopper-at-aol-dot-com>

Dave, 

Keep in mind that larger coils are more efficient by design.  The reason I say
this is that we learn by our mistakes (sometimes), and design/built better
coils each iteration.  The cheesy spark gap I used on my first coil would be a
puddle of molten copper if I used it on my latest design - in contrast, if I
had then (1/4-in tungsten) what I have now, my small coils would have been much
more efficient.  Just my opinion.  I believe it is also easier to overcome some
of the environmental effects at higher power, i.e. breakdown of air in the
spark gap, air density/humidity effects on tuning.  Some of this needs to be
measured to be proven however.  None of the computer models I've seen so far
take into account environmental factors (including my own [WinTesla]) because
the equations are not available (yet). 


Scott