RE: DC primary?

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>

There may be advantages to DC power with very low power and very high
power coils, but for the type most of us build, no, AC is far simpler
and just as good.

Correct on the AC between the primary & secondary generated by virtue of
the L-C resonance and not the mains frequency.

While the two different connection schemes will perform identically,
having the gap in parallel with the NST significantly reduces the high
frequency stuff fed back (i.e. damage) to the NST.  Don't use RFC's -
they do more harm than good.  See
http://www.laushaus.com/tesla/protection.htm

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA




> Original poster: norman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> I am new to Tesla coils (I design analog ICs), so please excuse me if
my
> questions seem naive.  Looking at Tesla coil circuits, it seems that
the
> primary coil could be powered by a high voltage direct current source
rather
> than 60 Hz AC.  The "AC" for the Tesla coil seems to come from the
spark gap
> and the L-C resonance, not the 60Hz.  Is this correct?  Is there any
advantage
> to DC over AC?
>
> Also, I have seen two different ways to connect the 6kV transformer to
the
> Tesla
> coil.  One way has the transformer across the spark gap, and the other
way has
> the
> transformer (in series with an RFC) across the CAP.  Is one way
preferred?
>
> I plan to build a Tesla coil capable of throwing an 8 inch spark.
>
>