Re: Capacitor Help

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: Steve Ward <steve.ward@xxxxxxxxx>

Comments:

On 12/12/05, Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Original poster: "MalcolmTesla" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> I found one Maxwell pulse capacitor for $125 + shipping

Dont buy it (these are the caps that have been abused already).

>
> What about four ceramic high-voltage transmission capacitors.  400pF @ 30KV.
> I found those 4 for $30.

Not the best type of cap, i wouldnt risk it.  See other responses
about CDE capacitors (CDE= cornell-dubilier electronics, its a company
name).

  I will not be building any more tesla coils after
> this one and don't really want to spend a fortune.  This is just for a
> simple contest at work and has already gone way over budget.
> The magnet wire for the secondary seems to be around $15 per pound and from
> what I gather

You can often find ebay deals, usually about 30 bucks for 10lbs (so
about 1/5th of what you gathered).

 I'll need about 10 #s.

Just how BIG did you want to make this coil?


  I believe 16 AWG is around 125 foot
> per pound.

I wouldnt use 16awg until you are running say 10kW or more with a 12"
diameter coil-form.  For a 15/30 NST, go with a 3.5"x18" PVC tube
wound with 28awg magnet wire, this will require only a fraction of a
lb of wire.  You can buy small spools of wire from www.mcmaster.com,
just search "magnet wire" and scroll down.  Id imagine the smaller
roll of 28awg will do it for you, but double check the calculations to
see.
>
> I appreciate the response.  I don't want to waste my money on junk but I
> also don't want overkill.
>

Agreed.

Steve Ward

> Thanks
> Malcolm
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 2:54 PM
> Subject: Re: Capacitor Help
>
>
>  > Original poster: "C. Sibley" <a37chevy@xxxxxxxxx>
>  >
>  > I'd go with a Maxwell pulse capacitor.  The can be had
>  > on e-bay for around $100 and are well worth the $$$.
>  > The have very high peak current and very low
>  > inductance.  If this is your first coil (and not your
>  > last) you will have room to grow as you build more
>  > powerful coils...
>  >
>  > Search e-bay for "Pulse Capacitor" and look for the
>  > big square white block type capacitor.
>  >
>  > Curt.
>  >
>  >
>  > --- Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>  >
>  >  > Original poster: "MalcolmTesla"
>  >  > <tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>  >  >
>  >  > Hi everyone,
>  >  >
>  >  > I'm almost done building my first tesla coil.  I
>  >  > used a 15kv 30mA neon sign
>  >  > transformer as my source.  I have a spark gap made
>  >  > with two nuts welded to L
>  >  > shaped brackets with bolts threaded in.  I can
>  >  > adjust the gap by threading
>  >  > the bolts back and forth.  There is a very powerful
>  >  > 110v squirrel cage fan
>  >  > cooling the spark gap.
>  >  >
>  >  > My concern is the capacitor.  I'm trying to purchase
>  >  > something and just not
>  >  > sure what to get.  I've been searching google.com
>  >  > and looking at sites until
>  >  > my eyes can't take it anymore.
>  >  >
>  >  > I can tell from everyone's sites that Polypropylene
>  >  > or Polyethylene is the
>  >  > way to go.  I can get those from mouser.com but they
>  >  > are only 1k to 3k and
>  >  > the just look so darn tiny compare to the pictures I
>  >  > see of everyone else's
>  >  > on the net it's got me worried I'm getting the wrong
>  >  > thing.
>  >  >
>  >  > If anyone can help me out with capacitor values I
>  >  > need, where to purchase,
>  >  > etc. I'd be very grateful.  I did find one at
>  >  > amazing1.com but it was $750.
>  >  > Wow
>  >  >
>  >  > Thanks
>  >  > Malcolm
>  >  >
>  >  >
>  >  >