Re: tesla coil current

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

Original poster: John <fireba8104-at-yahoo-dot-com> 

Hi Jim,
You have just added another project to my long (and growing) list.
I guess I'll build the Terry Planar Antenna, that I hear so much about and 
use the HV probe, when it's built, to measure my Marx and maybe a Winhurst. 
Well when I build them.
Thanks,
John

Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> wrote:
Original poster: Jim Lux

At 08:02 AM 11/5/2003 -0700, you wrote:
 >Original poster: John
 >Hi Jim,
 >I know your referring to one of Joule's laws where P = I^2*R. Calculate
 >the Resistance of the entire secondary circuit at resonance. Input the two
 >known variables and solve for I.
 >This can only give me the maximum current , assuming no losses, but it is
 >evident that we are dealing with 19th century technology, a finicky system
 >at that, and to assume is to make math useless.
 >The reason for this inquiry was to have a basics to form a estimate of
 >minimum resistance needed in a high voltage probe in order to get
 >reasonably accurate results.


IF you want to measure voltages on the top load, the way to do it is with
an E field probe. This is! fairly easy to calibrate, as well (you can use a
test signal generator to drive the system at low voltage with enough
current to allow use of a standard meter to measure the topload voltage).


 >I guess the current would in the area of 50 uA RMS . I am very unsure of
 >this and seeking the advice of people that have been building coils , in
 >some cases, longer then I've been alive.
 >Thanks,
 >John
 >P.S Jim, I happened upon your site and it now resides in my Favorites

Thanks.