Re: 1st Tesla Coil WONT LIGHT HELP PLEASE!

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

Original poster: "Jim Mitchell" <electrontube-at-sbcglobal-dot-net> 

IMHO and experience 2 liter plastic soda bottles will burn through even with
a small power supply.  You could try 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 7:47 PM
Subject: Re: 1st Tesla Coil WONT LIGHT HELP PLEASE!


 > 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
 >  >>>
 >  >>>
 >  >>>
 >  >>
 >  >>
 >  >
 >  >
 >
 >