Re: Ratios

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

Original poster: FutureT-at-aol-dot-com 

In a message dated 11/1/03 10:18:34 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:

Chris,

It's true that a cone shaped primary can couple more tightly than
a flat primary.  However, a very tight coupling is generally not
desired in a Tesla coil, because it can cause racing sparks,
flashovers, and coil breakdown.  A flat primary generally gives
the correct degree of coupling for a typical TC, so it is often used.

As far as efficiency is concerned, it is true that the power is
transfered more efficiently with tighter coupling, but the other
factors mentioned above usually make the tighter coupling
unacceptable.  Also, a tighter coupling requires a faster
quenching of the spark gap.

In magnifiers a tighter coupling between the primary and secondary
is desirable, so a cylindrical primary is often used.

John


>I was always told (and probably assumed) that a cone-shaped primary couples
>more efficiently than a flat-wound primary.  Is this true, or was I being
>led wrong?
>
>Thanks for your reply.
>
>Chris