RE: grounding

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

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

Hi Matt:

When you say your safety breaker tripped - would this be a GFI-equipped
breaker?  GFI's will often trip when powering a Tesla Coil.  I suggest
powering the coil from a non-GFI circuit.

I would strongly recommend against running the coil without a reasonable
RF ground connection.  I have heard a few suggest that a good ground
improves performance but have heard others say that this connection
makes NO performance difference.  What is not mentioned is that without
an RF ground connection, a huge amount of RF will be coupled into your
AC power lines, imperiling the other appliances in your house.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

> Original poster: "Matt T." <p2sarethebomb@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>
> I am new to coiling and just recently finished my first coil and have
> run it successfully but have run into a few problems.
>
> I am working on installing a RF ground, but ran my coil the first few
> times with no RF ground, just a ground strap left floating.  It
> performed well producing 23 inch streamers( my coil is powered by a
> 15 kv 30 ma NST).  Just last night i connected to the RF ground and
> went to power up.  Every time I ran up my variac to only a few volts,
> my safety breaker poped.  I disconnected from RF ground and the coil
> performed as before.  My RF ground is completely separate from the
> house ground so i don't understand what is happening.  My one concern
> is that i have the center tap of my NST connected to RF ground, but
> everything i have read says that is how it should be.  I don't mind
> running it unconnected, but am concerned with safety. I am also
> wondering if my performance would be increased with it grounded.  I
> appreciate your time and any comments.
>
> -Matt