RE: newbie (n00b)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

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

Hi Slurp (?):

I think you're right about it being too good to be true.  Based on the
small size I would guess that these are mylar units, and not at all
suited for high current pulse discharge applications.  No harm in trying
them, but don't be too surprised if they fail.  And while you're correct
in that such caps might be suitable for use in an R-C filter, the
capacitance is rather on the high side.  You want roughly 500pF for the
filter, and these are six times that, which would end up wasting a lot
of power.

Chalk it up to experience, and look elsewhere for caps.  There are on
rare occasions surplus caps that might be suitable for TC use, but
unless you really know caps or ask here first, I'd recommend using
either Cornell Dubilier 942 series caps, or using glass bottle caps.
You may also want to reconsider the gap construction and use parallel
copper pipes rather than just bolts.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

> Original poster: Slurp812 <slurp812@xxxxxxxxx>
>
> Would I be a newbie, or a n00b amongst coilers? Oh well anyway I have
> decided to build my first tesla coil. I have read many pages of info
> in the internet, alot of it from people on this list, like Terry. So
> far Iv got a 15vk 30ma NST, and a few bolts for a spark gap, 120v AC
> 5-inch fan for quench, 4 20oz iced tea bottles made up as capacitors,
> a bunch os 800ohm 20 watt resistors, and Iv just orderd  10 of these:
> <<http://www.goldmine-elec->http://www.goldmine-elec-> 
products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G14878>http://www.goldmine-elec-
> products.com/prodinfo.asp?number=G14878
>
> What do you think?  I am a bit leery of the 35kv rating. at least as
> a tank cap (low cap count MMC) I was thinking maybe 5 strings of 2
> each for 7.5nf  But it seems to good to be true.
> Maybe I'll just use them in my RC filter...
>