Re: 1st Tesla Coil WONT LIGHT HELP PLEASE!

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

Original poster: "Gerry Reynolds" <gerryreynolds-at-earthlink-dot-net> 

Hi Ravi,

The fact that your transformer is humming might be good news.  Mine hummed
when the spark gap was removed and I was close to resonance.  First you need
to get the spark gap firing to get any output.  Reduce the gap until this
happens and then you can tweak  what you have (ie, tune for max spark).
This should be achievable within your one week deadline.

Gerry R

 > Original poster: "Nightmare" <nightmare-at-bak.rr-dot-com>
 >
 >
 >
 > Hi, this is ravi, i just made my first TC and it wont light, i wired
 > everything up right but it still wont light! It was grounded and
 > everything. I plug it in and nothing happens. I tested the transformer by
 > plugging it in and the terminals arc to each other like a jacobs ladder
and
 > it works, but nothing happens when i plug it in! All i hear is the humming
 > of the transformer Please help. I  ve experimented and done all i can . I
 > need this done by next Friday for science fair so please help. The spark
 > gap doesnt fire either, ive tried 2 different transformers and the same
 > thing. Please email me off group for picctures since it doesnt support
 > attatchments. Here are my coil specs:
 > Secondary: 22inx3in 18in windings
 > Primary: ~7-8 turns of 1/4in copper tubing with various adjusted taps with
 > clip.
 > Caps: 4 soda bottles covered in foil wrapped in elec. tape. filled with
 > salt water. all connected with ring terminals
 > Spark gap: 2 1.25in dia copper pipes 3.25in long
 > Transformer: 1st is 7.5kV 30mA 60Hz 2nd one i tried is 4.0-4.5kV 30mA
50/60Hz
 > Toroid, 3in air cond duct with 2 pie plates like this >--< in center to
 > hold in place 9 in inner dia 15 in outer dia.
 > Everything is conected with ring terminals and 600V hardware wire, and
 > gator clips for primary.
 > I used the schematics on deepfriedneon-dot-com exept with diff. gap and bottle
 > caps instead of MMC's. Please help me I've done all i can. Again, if you
 > need pics please email me seperately and i will send them. Thank A LOT!!!!
 >
 >
 > A desperate 8th Grader,
 >
 > Ravi
 >