Re: 1st Tesla Coil WONT LIGHT HELP PLEASE!

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

Original poster: brent meyer <res095fx-at-verizon-dot-net> 

I think he said soda bottles wrapped in aluminum...  You probably have a
short, your gap is too wide, or you have an unknown leakage somewhere.  How
loudly is the transformer humming?  They usually don't do that unless they
are under a load of some sort, so I'd venture to say you have a short
somewhere.  Just remember to keep your left hand in your pocket while
troubleshooting, this is the time when you are most likely to get bit, when
things aren't working.  Don't let the pressure of the deadline allow you to
become sloppy.  You have plenty of time to find the problem.

Look at the component parts of the system when troubleshooting.  Do not
assume anything works.  Look over each of the components separately, and
test them in whatever fashion possible.  You have already done so with the
NST, progress now to your spark gap.  Separate it from the rest of the
system and see if you get a discharge with just the transformer connected.
Make sure the cap isn't connected when you do this, and remember 7KV won't
jump more than about a 1/4 inch gap...

 > From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 15:50:22 -0700
 > To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 > Subject: Re: 1st Tesla Coil WONT LIGHT HELP PLEASE!
 > Resent-From: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 > Resent-Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 16:02:09 -0700
 >
 > Original poster: "Jim Mitchell" <electrontube-at-sbcglobal-dot-net>
 >
 > Soda bottles?!? Aluminum?  If so that will not work you need glass bottles.
 >
 > Regards - Jim Mitchell
 > ----- Original Message -----
 > From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 1:28 PM
 > Subject: Re: 1st Tesla Coil WONT LIGHT HELP PLEASE!
 >
 >
 >> Original poster: "Aaron Aab" <striker754-at-earthlink-dot-net>
 >>
 >> I'm guessing you dont ahve enough capacitance or spark gap is too big for
 >> the power level.
 >>
 >> I'm not sure how much uF each of those bottles is worth, maybe 0.01?
 >>
 >> Try moving the spark gap closer together, the transformer you have is
 > fairly
 >> small.
 >>
 >> Aaron
 >>
 >> ----- Original Message -----
 >> From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 >> To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 >> Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 8:02 AM
 >> Subject: Re: 1st Tesla Coil WONT LIGHT HELP PLEASE!
 >>
 >>
 >>> 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
 >>>
 >>>
 >>> Thanks A LOT for the help.            Thanks A LOT again
 >>>
 >>> Ravi
 >>>
 >>>
 >>>
 >>
 >>
 >
 >