Re: A question of coupling

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Qndre Qndre" <qndre_encrypt@xxxxxxxxxxx>

Hey Gerry,

as far as I know you have to adjust the coupling so that the spark 
gap quenches at the first primary notch for ideal energy transfer.

Redards, Q.

----Original Message Follows----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: A question of coupling
Date: Thu, 05 Jan 2006 00:01:23 -0700

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

Hi Curt,

It is common for people that adjust their coupling to increase it to 
the point where racing arcs begin and then back off some.  If you 
dont have racing arcs, secondary to primary breakdown, and it works 
to your satisfaction, then it is probably OK.

Gerry R

> Original poster: "C. Sibley" <a37chevy@xxxxxxxxx>
>
> I completed my first coil this last weekend and did a
> few unusual things in the construction.  The helical
> primary is much larger diameter than required for such
> a small primary.  I used a secondary coil that I wound
> in High School 25+ years ago, and intend to replace it
> later with a large coil.  To help comphensate for the
> loose coupling I moved the primary up a couple of
> inches.  As I understand it, the maximum coupling
> would be with the primary centered half way up the
> seconday, but this location would result in
> overcoupling the coil.  I chose a height that I
> beleive was a good compromise.
>
> A friend with a lot of tesla experience what I had
> done and objected. He insisted that I needed to "drive
> the coil from the bottom".  While tuning the coil we
> ended up removing several inches of turns from the
> bottom of the secondary coil due to his insistence.
>
> Now that the coil is working, I'm considering moving
> the secondary down to it's original elevation.  Who is
> right here?  Is there a reason (other than over
> coupling and increased possibility of arc over) that
> this should not be done?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Curt.