Re: Questions??

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: jhowson4@xxxxxxxxxxx 

The first thing that everyone should know is that I am a junior in 
highschool.   I ran across the tesla a few years ago and have been 
obsessed ever since.  Unfortunatly 75% of all the money I make goes 
into collage savings leaving me with not alot to buy parts and 
such.  I really appreciate that people like you are around and are 
willing to help me. MANY THANKS



*The paper that i am refering to i downloaded somewhere online along 
time ago but since is says information unlimited on teh top i am 
assuming it origionaly came from here 
<http://www.amazing1.com/tesla.htm>http://www.amazing1.com/tesla.htm
I am also assuming that it is the
Easy to build  table top tesla coil 250,000 volts one
Since it also says that on the papers


*The transformer I am using was bought off ebay for about 20$   It is a
 6000v 30ma Neon Sign Transformer
someone I was talking to said that it might be centertapped or 
something and that it could be the problem


* dimensions of secondary + number of turns, winding length, and wire
size
 10 inches tall
1 3/4 inches wide
#26 magnet wire
i have no idea what the length is

I bought the wire at radio shack and had to use 2 small spools to 
complete it the wires were sanded and were put together but at some 
point i thought that this was the problem and seperated them. then 
moved my secondary up about half way.  this made a huge
(the term huge means that i got an arc out of the magnet wire with 
out the top load about 3/4 of a cm)


* dimensions of primary, number of turns, what sort of wire or
conductor used

I was using #12 wire at 8 turns with 6 inch diameter
  but when that did not work i took thick magnet wire and wraped it 
around electrical tape on the secondary about 24 times. This seemed 
to work better
(i got a small arc instead a a spark)


* number and type of capacitors and how connected - series?  parallel?
20
6000v .015mdf
Sprague
in series

At some point i took some glass and 2   4in squares of tin foil and 
tried that (it worked better but in practical terms not a big change at all)

* type of spark gap and how constructed
2 bolts mounted in lexan or something with a large computer cooling 
fan sucking are through it the bolts are about .08 mm from each other 
(which is as far apart as they will go while still allowing a jump)

At some point i made a small rotary gap to see it it would work using 
a cd and small wires bend over it and then taped.  Then i used 
brushes to make direct contact with them.  This seemed to work alot 
better and was more consistant than the other gap so I have used it ever since.


* nature and dimensions of top terminal.
2 small pie tins welded together
about 4 inches in diameter 3 inches tall

*Some pictures of the parts and complete set-up wouldn't hurt either.
I dont have a digital camera or anything. But school starts soon so i 
could ask to borrow one.  If you could see it now you would say wow 
what a piece of junk.  I wanted to test it before i made it all nice 
and such but it is the way it is so i never made it look nice



-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>

> Original poster: Gomez Addams
>
>
> On Sep 2, 2006, at 8:23 PM, Tesla list wrote:
>
> >Original poster: jhowson4@xxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> >Hello all,
> >
> >I have a Problem for anyone who is willing to help me.
> >
> >I have been trying get a coil to work decently for some time now
> >and have had little success. I admit that I know basically nothing
> >in terms of the math and formulas and all the stuff that you
> >already know.
> >
> > I am following instructions to make a coil that runs off a 6000v
> >30ma transformer. I have 6000v 0.015mdf capacitors that the paper
> >says should work. But in the e nd of all my hard work and little
> >understanding i get a spark(not to be confused with an arc or
> >anything else that might look cool) out of the top terminal.
> >diffidently not what is supposed to happen. (according to the sheet
> >that is) What am I doing wrong? transformer issues? capacitor
> >issues? coil issues? what? Any help or ideas is greatly appreciated.
>
> We need a LOT more information than that to know what is going on
> with your coil. Such as:
>
> * dimensions of secondary + number of turns, winding length, and wire
> size
>
> * dimensions of primary, number of turns, what sort of wire or
> conductor used
>
> * number and type of capacitors and how connected - series? parallel?
>
> * type of spark gap and how constructed
>
> * nature and dimensions of top terminal.
>
> Some pictures of the parts and co mplete set-up wouldn't hurt either.
>
> Is this an oil burner transformer or a neon sign transformer, or what?
>
> regards,
>
> - Bill Lemieux
>
> .
>
>
>