RE: Hookup Wire

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

Original poster: "Mccauley, Daniel H by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <daniel.h.mccauley-at-lmco-dot-com>


Suggesting no less than 4 AWG for a 12/30 or 12/60 coil is absurd.  12 AWG
stranded wire is perfectly acceptable for this
application.  I use 14 AWG stranded HV wire on my 15/60 NST with excellent
results.  Also, when initially running my 3.5kW
portable tesla coil (using PT transformer), I used 12 AWG solid wire to
connect all components on my primary circuit.
I then changed to 6 AWG stranded wire (found in the local electric shop's
garbage) for all my connections.  No noticeable
difference was really seen in performance even at 3.5kW and my output is
excellent given the input power.

4 AWG or less may be the way to go for coils over 10kW, but for a small
12/30 or 12/60 powered coil, thats just silly.

The Captain


  >From the gap through the caps and the return should be no less than 4 AWG
fine stranded welding cable to handle the large peak high frequency
currents.  A local welding shop can supply this and also crimp on the copper
lugs for you with their special crimping machine.  Keep these wires up in
the air and not near any grounded parts.  If you have to go near a part then
feed the cable through some clear plastic tubing.


  > One of my friends is making his first coil, and he wants to know what
type
  > of wire to use for all the HV hookups (form NST to capacitor, capacitor
to
  > primary, ect.)  He is probably going to use a 12/30 or 12/60 NST.  Any
  > recommendations are welcome.