RE: Tesla Coil Efficiency Test: Tungsten Rod

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

Original poster: "John H. Couture by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <couturejh-at-mgte-dot-com>


Scott -

I don't agree with you that the Tesla coil overall efficiency increases as
it is made larger. However, you can prove me wrong by doing the lamp tests
on your coils.

John Couture

----------------------------------

> 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