Re: The Tabletop Tesla Coil Showdown - OFFICIAL RULES and WEBSITE

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

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

In a message dated 10/2/02 6:09:08 PM Pacific Daylight Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
writes:


>
> While another 4/20 NST won't jeopardize my retirement plans, I don't want
> to risk destroying mine in order to compete.  Setting the gaps so that the
> cap rings up to 10kV will enjoy a performance advantage, as will running
> with no shunts at all, but I shouldn't have to risk losing the NST.  
>
> Do you think that having category 1 limited to 4/20 NST's with a 50mA short
> circuit current and 50 mil static gap restriction, and a category 2 where
> any NST not exceeding 200VA Isc*Vfaceplate with any sort of gap, would be
> sufficient?  Or do you feel that a 3rd category using only a 4/20 NST with
> no restrictions is also needed?  Am I the only 4/20 user that would like a
> limit to how hard the NST may be pushed?  I do wish to make this
> competition open to the largest possible audience, but I want the
> categories to be fair and meaningful, where improvements are made by
> innovation rather than seeing how close to destruction things may be pushed.
>
> Gary Lau
> MA, USA



Gary,

Since I have a 4 kv 20 ma transformer on order - my vote would be to have two
categories.  One with all shunts installed, just as it comes from the factory,
and the other with 5 shunts removed - or wherever you want to spec that.  No
limit on gap width.  The reasonable and prudent designer will come up with a
design that will not destroy the transformer, just like we do with all our
coils.

Ed Sonderman