Re: MMC warming

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

Original poster: "Steven Ward by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <srward16-at-hotmail-dot-com>


>I would work on getting the 2 x 10 array working.  Your present 1 x 8 may
>last a while but it is under a lot of stress.
>
>Cheers,
>
>	Terry
>
>


Thanks for all the help everyone,

I suppose that i will try to get things working a bit better with the 2x10 
cap.  Here is what i mean by poor performance, so maybe you all can help me 
with this.  With both of the coils, i only tune in at 3.5 turns!!  This is 
the best output so far with this 2x10 cap.  When tuned at this, the coil 
does not sound as smoothe as with the 1x8 cap.  There are a lot more little, 
weak arcs, rather than the nice 2 or 3 arcs the 1x8 cap gives.  These weak 
sparks dont get any better when i put on more gaps, and the coils dont 
attract to each other, rather, the will arc to the primary coils alot. Also, 
I am not sure exactly what my transformer is putting out, i know what it is 
drawing, but my core is slightly damaged(laminations have some small 
seperations) and their is a small gap where the center of the core connects. 
  That is why it is drawing some 9Amps.  Unfortunately, my ammeter is a 
clamp type, and does not read below a 3A range so i cant read the secondary 
amps.  So this make my output somewhat unknown to me.  I am considering 
removing more shunts, but am not sure that it would be too safe.  The 
primary gets warmer than the caps do, and the secondaries get a very slight 
warm feeling to them(they are not heavily insulated, so i can actually tell 
how warm they are).  Im sure if i removed some more shunts, the coil would 
work fine, but then i may have trouble with the transformer.  Back to 
tuning,  should i try larger toroids, or is my cap just way to big.  I have 
experienced this same thing with my previous coil, until i removed more 
shunts, then it worked ok.  I guess ill try that.  So what temp. would you 
all consider to be "OK" for my secondaries to heat to?  All thoughts are 
welcome.

Steve Ward.