Re: Capacitor Help

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Barton B. Anderson" <bartb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi Malcolm,

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "MalcolmTesla" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > When using a strike ring, wire it to RF ground which is separate from
> > your mains house ground. I use copper pipe hammered into the ground
> > for RF ground. The bottom secondary is also attached to RF ground.
>
> Owww this throws another wrench in the works.  A copper pipe hammered into
> the ground hey...  hummm is this the only way?

Yes. Throw down a counterpoise, and treat it as RF ground. Try to 
find something if possible to connect the counter poise to if 
possible like a water main or maybe a grounded structure (building). 
The counterpoise should be a wire mesh (as opposed to a solid plate).

> I still don't understand.  How does the safety gap in parallel with the
> regular spark gap help any unless it's connected to something else as well?


Maybe a picture:

Cap <-------O spark O------------> Primary
    |         gap              |
    |                          |
    |-----O  safety  O---------|
              gap

Both are connected to the same point electrically.
Both discharge the cap energy through the primary to RF ground.
Because the energy travels through the primary inductance, the energy 
is distributed through the impedance of the primary,  secondary, and 
well, the entire system after the cap. This impedance is better for 
the cap and the normal discharge mode for the cap in this application.

In a configuration where the cap is discharged to ground (or worse, 
directly across the cap), there is a very fast and high current 
discharge, and it's that level of discharge that can be hard on the cap.

Both achieve the same goal, but we have a nice easy path (already 
built it in) to remove the cap energy (so why not use it?).

Take care,
Bart