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Re: Tc first start

Original poster: "D.C. Cox" <resonance@xxxxxxxxxx>
Most coils only produce short sparks on fire-up. Don't get discouraged! This is normal!!
Using a small wire taped to your toroid you can check the distance to a ground stand to see the max spark distance.
Next, the tuning process begins. You should always start with a "scrap wire" primary of 20-25 turns so you can investigate a wide range of primary inductance to bring your system into resonance. Start at 3 turns out and keep moving the tap out as you check each turn for "best resonance point".
While doing tuning, keep your total sparkgap tight, usually around 0.100 inches. This will prevent high outputs which could damage your secondary coil if it's out of resonance with the primary coil.
Also, be sure to never exceed 30-35% on your variac setting. Again, keep this low until you get your primary in resonance with your secondary. The best resonance point at these tight sparkgap and variac settings may only produce a spark 3-5 inches long. This is normal.
After finding the proper primary number of turns for resonance, now you can open up the sparkgap total setting to 0.180 or 0.200 inches max setting. Then you can run the variac up to a higher level, ie, up to 100% and keep moving your groundstand back to see the longest striking distance.
After the above tuning procedures you will be hitting longer sparks, and at this point you can replace the scrap wire primary with a #6 bare copper wire primary (like Home Depot #6 AWG ground wire) held in place with plastic holders.
If your coil has a sec. coil of more than 4 inches dia. then a flat spiral primary is always the best setup. Using angle primaries can produce overcoupling and frequency splitting which leads to serious problems causing sec coil damage.
Set up your scrap wire primary and let us know how it's working. also, specs on what you have would be helpful. 

Dr. Resonance


----- Original Message ----- From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 10:05 AM
Subject: Tc first start



Original poster: "Adriano Mollica" <adriano.mollica@xxxxxxxxxxx>

Hello to everyone,

this week end i did the first start to the tesla coil i built.

Of course it doen't work...

too bad.

But, what the problem was? i suppose a wrong tuning.

At the beginning there were no sparks at all, then i put  the terminal of
the sparking gap closest each other, and it starts sparking...but still not
lighting bolts from the top. then i put a copper wire on the side of the
toroids, and some little sparks come out, almost 3'' long. I was only able
to turn on a neon tube at the distance of a couple of meters.

very poor.

i know, that a coil so big should generate 75cm sparks ... what is wrong?

help me please.
bye bye
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 11:52 PM
Subject: Re: PCBs


> Original poster: "J. Aaron Holmes" <jaholmes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> This is definitely a question for the archives!  That
> said, it sounds like you're probably *not* looking at
> PCBs.  PCBs are heavier than water.  Ordinary mineral
> oil floats.  It's no sure sign that you don't have
> *some* PCB contamination, but from what I've heard,
> PCB use in transformers wasn't all that common anyway.
>
> If you really must know, get a Dexsil 50ppm PCB kit
> from Forestry Suppliers, Inc. or some other place.
> They're less than 30 bucks, but make sure you read the
> directions *really* carefully!
>
> aaron
>
> --- Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>  > Original poster: "miles waldron"
>  > <mileswaldron@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>  >
>  > Dear All,
>  >
>  > My friend has recently found an old 5KVA
>  > distribution transformer. It says:
>  >
>  > WAGNER TRANSFORMER
>  > TYPE: HEB
>  > SPEC E370-F51G8
>  > FORM: 39CNX
>  > 60 CYCLES
>  > 2.3 AMPS
>  > NO. K6G7676
>  >
>  > We can understand the wiring diagram, and the
>  > transformer works. But we are
>  > concerned that the oil contains PCBs. The liquid
>  > floats on water. The oil is
>  > light yellow and non viscous and splashes around
>  > quite easily.
>  >
>  > Question:
>  >
>  > Can we replace this oil with newer oil, or just
>  > don't care and make sure it
>  > doesn't leak, or make our own Hudson River like
>  > General Electric?
>  >
>  > Any advice is greatly appreciated!
>  >
>  > Miles
>  >
>  >
>  >
>
>