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Re: Pre-flight check......



Original poster: Mddeming@xxxxxxx In a message dated 10/3/06 5:55:55 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, tesla@xxxxxxxxxx writes:
Original poster: "Glen McGowan" <glen.mcgowan@xxxxxxxxx>

I just completed final assembly of my first 4" coil  (well, first
coil period for that matter). I wanted to let some of you take a
quick glance and tell me if there are any obvious violations of the
"TC code of ethics".

<http://cyplex.morpheus.net/TeslaCoil/Complete/>http://cyplex.morpheus.net/TeslaCoil/Complete/


Actual secondary winding length is 22 inches on a 25'ish inch form.
NST is a 15/60.  Topload is 4x19 sitting at 25 inches.  15 turns on
the primary (which includes the tap as one turn).  Resonant freq is
around 212khz. I used 300amp battery cable as my hookup wire between
components. Spark gap is set to fire at NST voltage to prevent
resonance in the NST. Waiting on caps....will upgrade the MMC when
they arrive.

I do have one question. Could I get by on a counterpoise instead of
drilling through the garage floor to drive a ground rod? maybe 4'x4'
piece of fencing?


Thanks to everyone who got me to this point.


Hi Glen,

Clean layout and great workmanship! I see only two things you might want to keep a close eye on: 1) Where your high voltage terminals are bolted to the bottom platform; above ~10kV wood is somewhat conductive. You MAY have a high resistance connection between the two screws. This effect can be minimized by coating all wooden surfaces (including INSIDES of all holes with a varnish or other sealant. If the environment is even slightly damp, untreated wood can absorb moisture from the air and become more conductive. I cannot tell from the pics if your wood is bare or coated. 2) Black ABS plastic is likewise somewhat conductive. At TC voltages, your top cap MAY look like a conductive plate. These are not panic points, just something to keep a careful watch out for if "funny things" start happening.

As to the use of a counterpoise, yes it will work. A solid foil would have the highest eddy current loses, wire mesh fencing would be a great improvement over solid, and a radial array of wires set out like a "daisy wheel" would have the lowest.

Hope this helps,

Matt D.