Capacitor plate eddy currents -- was: wiring for functionality or design

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "David Rieben" <drieben@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi Gary,

Hmm, that's strange that you mention eddy current losses
in the cap plates as this may explain an affect that I've no-
ticed while firing my big coil, which can be seen @:
http://dawntreader.net/hvgroup/david/gm.html
In photos #2,7, and 8 the turquoise green exterior metal
can of the primary cap and its relative position to the pri-
mary coil above can clearly be seen. Anywho, I've noticed that after 
firing the coil, the top side (the side nearest to the primary coil) 
often does have noticable exterior warmth that is no-
ticably above ambient temperature, but the bottom side seems to 
remain cool. The top side doesn't seem to get
dangerously overheated but does definitely feel noticably
warmer than ambient temperature even after only 1 minute
or so of firing. Do you think the eddy current issue could
possibly address this observation? Thanks for any com-
ments or suggestions. BTW, the exterior tank of this cap
is obviously composed of ferrous metal as it has a strong
attraction to a magnet and I know that iron does indeed
experience notable eddy current losses, hence the fine
lamination of transformer cores.

David Rieben

PS-- Maybe the fact that the bottom side of the cap also acts
as one of the "walls" of the fan chamber for cooling the stationary
SG electrodes also contributes to its "cooler" surface?

----- Original Message ----- From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 1:20 PM
Subject: RE: wiring for functionality or design


> Original poster: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau@xxxxxx>
> Short, direct interconnects are always better - losses are lower and it
> just looks better.  But there is such thing as too close to the primary.
> Exactly when that occurs is unclear, but I'd keep things at least 6-8"
> below the primary, to avoid eddy current losses in cap plates.
> Regards, Gary Lau
> MA, USA