Re: Capacitor Help

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Gerry  Reynolds" <gerryreynolds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi Malcolm,

Did you input your design into JAVATC??  It can tell you how many 
turns of primary you need (use the autotune feature).  My guess is as 
you go from 10 turns out to 15 turns, you are getting closer to 
resonance.  You need enough turns to see the sparks increase to a 
peak and then decrease again when you get too many turns.  This is a 
good way to see that you have reached peak performance with your 
tuning.  If you do need more turns (and it looks like you have room 
for the copper), you can do that or reduce your top load some 
what.  Do the JAVATC thing first to see where you are at.

Gerry R.

> Original poster: "MalcolmTesla" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Well I finished the tesla coil tonight.  Something's not right.  If I put
> the tap on coil 10 of the primary I get no output.  I then moved it in a
> little with no change.  I then moved it out and when I got to turn 14 ~ 15 I
> got some output but the safety gap also started firing like crazy.  Man that
> safety gap is loud.  Well actually so is the regular spark gap now that the
> capacitors are hooked up.  Anyhow the output from the toroid was only about
> 5" max from the center steel pole in my garage which I used as RF ground.
>
> My NST chassis, center terminal on the safety gap, strike ring, and
> secondary ground all went to the RF ground.
>
> What should I do from here?
>
> Thanks
> Malcolm - KC