Re: New coil

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

Original poster: "John Richardson" <jprich-at-up-dot-net> 

Hi Brett,


 > I think for a lot of climates and elevations your above statement is a
 > scientifically sound one.  But there may be some fatal exceptions.  As
 > Terry, myself and others found out in the GMHEICSLR contest, elevation
 > above sea level (atmoshperic pressure) and the associated humitity have a
 > great deal to do with spark length limitations.  Humitity in particular
has
 > an enourmous effect on the dialectric (or conductive under high voltage)
 > properties of wood.  I don't know what you're location is, but I live near
 > Chattanooga, TN where it is *extremely* humid year round.  I have found
 > wood to be horribly lossy in nearly every tesla application (except as a
 > conductive platform for arcing to metal objects

I live in upper Upper Michigan,  and humidity really isn't a problem.  Right
now it's 19 below on the thermometer, and I've got the frostbite on my
fingers to prove it.  Why can't the water pump freeze during the day instead
of 11 pm?  They don't show people welding cracked pump cases and thawing
pipes with a torch at 2 in the morning in any of these country living
magazines, do they?  Or how about 6 inches of raw sewage in the basement
'cause the septic is frozen?  Just glossy pictures of pretty, snowy
landscapes with horses running around, etc.  What a crock.

Anyhow, and to the point.  I can see what you're saying with regards to wood
absorbing water, especially in a locale such as yours.  To be honest, I was
planning on using HDPE, but didn't have the patience to wait for an order
from McMaster or the willingness to drive 60 miles to the nearest Wal-Mart
for cutting boards.  As usual, I was in a hurry.  Even before coating with
poly, though, I couldn't see any tell tale corona on the wood supports, and
I actually expected to.  It's amazing that high voltage can find a path
anywhere, as anyone who has run their leads on a cement floor can attest to.
That pesky blue haze follows those wires anywhere they touch or come close
to cement, table top corners, etc.  Anyone else out there have problems
using wood?  If memory serves, I thought Ed W. has a conventional coil with
a ribbon primary run through plywood slots.  And he's running meter spinning
power levels in everything in that garage of his.  Then again, he's in snow
country as well.  I'll keep you posted if things change, as I'm gonna hit
her with 3kw just to see if the wood can hold.

Thanks,
John Richardson