Re: top-load size

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

Original poster: "Gregory Hunter by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ghunter31014-at-yahoo-dot-com>

Adam,

Try putting a sharp breakout point on your top load. A
thumbtack stuck down with a bit of tape works well.
You should get a corona brush or even a streamer from
the point. Try tuning again for best spark from this
point. If the breakout from the point maxes out at
turn 15, then you need more primary turns. You can
make a loading coil with a few turns of heavy copper
wire (#8 or larger stranded, insulated). You can shape
these turns into a hoop and sit them on top of your
primary on insulated standoffs (PVC pipe stubs will
do), or slip it underneath your primary if there is
room. Wire these turns in series with your
primary--make sure they are both wound in the same
direction!

Another possibility: how much power are you running?
If the topload is too big for a given power supply,
you won't get any breakout even with perfect tuning.
There's a limit to the size of topload your coil can
charge. Perhaps you have exceeded that limit.

Greg
http://hot-streamer-dot-com/greg

--- Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Beans45601-at-aol-dot-com>
> 
> I built a big top load (8"pans with ducting im the
> middle) and when i put it on
> my tesla coil, i could not tune my coil so that
> there would be actual sparks
> coming out of it. Could it possible be that i don't
> have enough turns of my
> primary? i have 15.  It would just sit there, no
> sparks, even in the dark. Now,
> i am using a (3"?) door knob i found in my house and
> it works fine. But, i
> would like to have a pie pan, ducting top load.
> Thanks
> Adam
> 
>